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Source title: Japan plans to suspend consumption promotion policy due to severe epidemic
Japan has more than 2,500 new confirmed cases of new crowns on the 21st, setting a new record for 4 consecutive days. The government announced the same day that it would partially suspend the subsidy policy that encourages travel and meals to curb the epidemic.
According to statistics from the Japan Broadcasting Association television station, Japan added 2,560 confirmed cases on the 21st, a new record since the outbreak. Among them, the capital Tokyo added 539 cases, breaking the single-day record of 534 cases set on 19. On the 21st, there were 415 new confirmed cases in West Osaka prefecture, which also set a single-day record. day.
Later on the 21st, the Japanese government held a meeting at headquarters on the response to COVID-19 at the Prime Minister’s residence. After the meeting, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that the government will suspend travel subsidies to areas where the epidemic is rapidly spreading and will ask prefectural governors to consider stopping the issuance of catering coupons.
However, Yoshihide Suga did not say when the aforementioned subsidy policy would be suspended, nor did he delimit the area where subsidies will no longer be awarded.
In order to support the national tourism and catering industries that have been affected by the epidemic, the Japanese government previously launched the “Go To Travel” and “Go To Eat” activities to cut the accommodation fee in half. and provide catering coupons for consumers. .
Due to the recent spike in the epidemic, the Japanese government’s epidemic response team recommended on the 20th that governments at all levels adjust the aforementioned subsidy policies to reduce the flow of people and reduce the risk of infection.
Toshio Nakagawa, president of the Japanese Medical Association, said that while there is no conclusive evidence that the subsidy policy that encourages consumption is the direct cause of the rebound in the epidemic, “it is definitely a catalyst.”
Ozaki Haruo, president of the Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Association, said that increased travel by people is “probably” one of the reasons for the spread of the epidemic, so he suggested that the government suspend subsidy activities. ” Go To “.
At the call of the experts, Yoshihide Suga denied on the 20th that he planned to suspend the subsidy activities, but apparently changed his mind and announced on the 21st that such activities would be partially suspended.
Some people in Japan are not satisfied with the cancellation of the subsidies. An Osaka citizen traveling in Kyoto complained to a Kyodo News reporter: “People who travel don’t know what rules to follow. The government decides anything and it takes too long.”
According to the Xinhua News Agency
