Japan will ask foreign guests attending the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next week to wear protective face masks to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the top government spokesman said Thursday.
"We will call for foreign dignitaries and other attendees to wear face masks and take infection prevention measures, such as using disinfectant, on the day of the state funeral," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a news conference.
The request marks a sharp contrast with Monday's state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II in London, at which attendees, including Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, took part without wearing masks.
While the number of new COVID-19 cases has been declining in Japan, the government has still urged the public to wear face masks inside buildings and other facilities.
The government, meanwhile, said Thursday that a total of 217 countries, regions and international organizations plan to send attendees to Abe's state funeral to be held Tuesday in Tokyo.
Of them, 116 will dispatch attendees from abroad, while the remaining 101 will be represented by individuals in Japan such as embassy officials, according to the Foreign Ministry.
U.S Vice President Kamala Harris, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc are among those on the guest list released by the ministry.