Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday that greater caution will be necessary to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus as companies prepare to take a break during the New Year's holidays.
"Nearly a year has passed since the virus emerged, and it continues to spread throughout the country,” Suga said during a news conference Friday evening. “In order to avoid adding to the burden on hospitals and front-line workers, I ask for the cooperation of the people so that we can return even a day sooner to the life we had before the virus.”
Japan is struggling to contain a nationwide surge of COVID-19 that began in late October and has affected nearly every major population center.