The rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout Japan together with what some see as government mishandling of quarantine measures on the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship are reigniting calls for Japan to establish an independent decision-making body similar to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made headlines earlier this month when, in response to a ruling party lawmaker's question, he told a Diet committee that he would "think about" creating such an organization.
On the front lines of the nation's ongoing battle against the COVID-19 outbreak is the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), an entity commonly cited as Japan's closest equivalent to the CDC.