Japan's health minister apologized Tuesday over a late-night party involving 23 officials from his ministry held last week in Tokyo despite the metropolitan government's request for shorter business hours to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura said at a news conference the large farewell party held at a restaurant in the capital's glitzy Ginza district until around midnight last Wednesday had "betrayed the people's trust."
The ministry is at the forefront of the state response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the country completely lifted its second state of emergency over the virus on March 21, the Tokyo government has requested restaurants and bars to close by 9 p.m., effective until April 21.