Tokyo Vows Support To Prefectures, Pharma Developers As COVID-19 Cases Continue To Surge

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2020) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged the government's readiness to cooperate with prefectural authorities to scale up COVID-19 testing and support pharmaceutical companies developing coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics on the backdrop of an upsurge in new cases, Japan's NHK broadcaster reported on Monday.

Abe spoke at a meeting of the government and members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo.

As cited by NHK, Abe also vowed to shield the elderly and other vulnerable groups from COVID-19, saying that the spread of the infection across the country was on the rise. There are reportedly 80 severely ill Japanese COVID-19 patients at the moment.

At the same time, the Japanese prime minister said he wanted to keep up social and economic activities amid the fight against the coronavirus.

Abe said that the adjustment of budgetary issues to match with what the broadcaster described as a historic crisis will require drastic social reforms.

The prime minister was further quoted as saying that his government and the ruling coalition will cooperate to ensure the economy's adaptation to the "new normal."

Tokyo remains Japan's biggest outbreak, according to the report. On Monday, metropolitan authorities registered 258 new coronavirus cases, which marks the seventh consecutive day for the daily increase in the Japanese capital to be above 200. Tokyo's total is now 13,713 cases.

Overall in Japan, the health authorities have so far confirmed 38,687 cases, including 1,012 deaths and 26,487 recoveries.