ID :
61808
Fri, 05/22/2009 - 00:18
Auther :

New-flu cases in Tokyo area prompt firms to take precautionary steps

TOKYO, May 21 Kyodo -
More major companies in Japan stepped up precautionary measures against a new
strain of influenza on Thursday, following Wednesday's confirmation of the
first two new-flu cases in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Retailers and other firms enhanced health checks on employees and urged them to
wear masks, taking their cue from companies in the western Japan prefectures of
Osaka and Hyogo where most of the new-flu cases in the country so far have been
reported.
Supermarket chain Ito-Yokado Co. decided to require employees at all its 180
stores throughout Japan to measure their body temperature before coming to
work. It had earlier limited such requirements to workers at stores in the
Kansai region.
Convenience store chain Seven-Eleven Japan Co. called on employees to wear
masks at 110 stores in Hachioji in Tokyo and Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture
where the two new-flu patients reside. The two patients are students at the
same high school in Kawasaki.
Lawson Inc. distributed 90,000 masks to some 2,000 convenience stores in Tokyo
and its vicinity, urging employees there to wear them.
In Hachioji, workers at Ministop convenience stores run by a group firm of Aeon
Co. started wearing masks and put up posters at the stores calling on customers
to wear masks as well. Aeon took similar steps at some 100 group convenience
stores in the greater Tokyo area.
Convenience chain FamilyMart Co. suspended sales of the ''oden'' Japanese
hot-pot dish over the counter at its 125 outlets in Hachioji and Kawasaki as a
precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the flu virus.
A number of supermarket and convenience stores in Osaka and Hyogo have also
suspended sales of the dish.
Millennium Retailing Inc., which runs the Sogo and Seibu department store
chains, asked workers at food floors of the Sogo Hachioji and Yokohama stores
and a Seibu store in Yokohama to wear masks and suspend tasting services.
Manufacturers such as Sony Corp. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. said they
will continue to reduce business trips and meetings.
Hitachi Ltd. instructed employees in Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures to wear
masks during travel to and from work and check their physical condition.
Meanwhile, the Japan Ryokan Association's Kinki branch, covering traditional
Japanese hotels in parts of western Japan, said a total of 362,200 people have
canceled reservations due to the new flu as of Wednesday, amounting to combined
lodging fees of approximately 4.3 billion yen.
==Kyodo

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