Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday that his plan to create a government agency to better fight infectious diseases has not changed but may not come into existence before the coronavirus pandemic is over.
While running for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership last month, Kishida floated a plan to establish a health crisis management agency, but the idea has not made it to a list of the LDP's key policies announced ahead of the Lower House election set for Oct. 31.
"I have not withdrawn the (idea of the) health crisis management agency," Kishida said at a public debate with eight other party leaders.