Japanese Medical Groups Declare COVID-19 Emergency

Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Jiji Press)--Nine medical groups in Japan declared on Monday a state of emergency as medical care systems across the country are in a crisis due to surging coronavirus cases. "Japan's medical care system in which everyone can receive medical care is in an extremely precarious situation," Toshio Nakagawa, head of the Japan Medical Association, said at a joint press conference in Tokyo. "We need to reduce new infection cases by any means," Nakagawa said, terming the novel coronavirus "an exceptional threat," comparing it to the spread of influenza in winter. The nine groups urged people to take thorough measures to prevent infection and asked central and local governments to support front-line medical workers. Some representatives of the nine groups called for stricter government restrictions on the movement of people to contain the virus. The nine groups also include the Japan Hospital Association, the Tokyo Medical Association, the Japan Dental Association, the Japan Pharmaceutical Association and the Japanese Nursing Association. END