The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Koike, Suga clash over claim coronavirus is ‘Tokyo problem’
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga’s remark that the sudden rise in Tokyo’s novel coronavirus cases is a “Tokyo problem” has caused a quarrel with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. The remark by the government’s spokesman over the weekend referred to the fact that more than half of recently confirmed virus carriers are in the capital.
Koike expressed her discontent clearly on July 13, telling reporters at the Tokyo metropolitan government office that the countermeasures against the coronavirus are a “national problem,” in the context of the central government’s Go To Campaign to boost domestic travel demand.
“Tokyo conducts the largest number of tests,” Koike added. “That’s why many tested positive and many of them are asymptomatic.” She also warned about the possibility that the campaign will promote travel by infected people who are asymptomatic.
“How will the central government ensure balance [between the economy and prevention of the virus’ spread]?” she said. “It’s like turning on the heater and air conditioner simultaneously.”
Suga said in a speech in Chitose, Hokkaido, on July 11, “This problem [of increasing case numbers] is so concentrated in Tokyo that it is no exaggeration to say it is undoubtedly a Tokyo problem.”
Behind Suga’s remarks seems to be what a high-ranking government official calls “strong distrust of how the metropolitan government is handling the situation,” referring to the fact that Tokyo has been unable to contact some infected individuals.
In explaining his remarks, Suga said at a press conference on July 13, “It’s based on the fact that Tokyo accounts for more than half of the new infections nationwide.”
As for the Go To Campaign, he reconfirmed that the government will go ahead with it as planned, saying, “We will achieve both the prevention of the spread of the infection, and social and economic activities.”
If the infection surge in Tokyo continues, the central and metropolitan governments will have to cooperate in requesting businesses to suspend their operations, among other measures, and thus some government officials voiced concern over the quarrel, with a senior health ministry official saying, “Conflict is futile.”
Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of economic revitalization who is heading the coronavirus response, said at a press conference on July 13 that the Saitama prefectural government’s calls for dining establishments that have inadequate measures against infection to suspend operations is “an effective tactic.”
“We have to think about whether we should do this in the whole of the metropolitan area or only in Tokyo,” he added.
Meanwhile, a record 286 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on July 16.
“The number of tests conducted [in one day] was a record high of more than 4,000,” Koike said to reporters at the Tokyo metropolitan government office on the day.
“An increase in the number of tests conducted increases the probability of finding more people who are positive.”
From July 9 on, there have been multiple days on which more than 200 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Tokyo.
The Tokyo metropolitan government upgraded its four-level virus assessment to the most serious level on July 15, changing the official status from “Infections are beginning to expand” to “Infections are expanding.”