JFTC Japan Foreign Trade Council, Inc.

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Chairman's Messages

Chairman's Speeches

Chairman Nakamura’s Comments on the Lifting of the State of Emergency
Declaration for the Coronavirus Pandemic in All Prefectures

May 25, 2020

The state of emergency has now been lifted across all of Japan, including in Hokkaido and the Tokyo metropolitan region’s four prefectures, where emergency measures had remained in place after they were lifted in the rest of country. Japan’s success in suppressing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection to the present level is a credit to the devotion and sacrifice of medical workers, the hard work of national and local government officials, and the readiness of businesses and private citizens to work together to contain the virus by restricting their business activities and other aspects of their daily lives. I share in the sense of satisfaction at what we have achieved so far.

However, it is important to remember that the lifting of the state of emergency today is merely one stage in our long battle against COVID-19. With experts predicting that a second wave of infections is likely in the autumn and beyond, we must continue to take all necessary steps to prevent another spike in infections as we work to revive economic activities.

The road ahead of us will be steep and challenging. It is essential that we stay united and walk it together, following the national government’s Basic Policies for an incremental reopening of the economy, guidelines published by local governments, and other directives. We look for the national and local governments to implement promptly the assistance policies they have promised for businesses and individual citizens, and we hope that funds for necessary additional measures will be speedily secured as part of the government’s second supplementary budget plan.

Together with our member companies, the JFTC will continue to take all necessary measures to prevent further spreading of COVID-19 as we work closely with the national and local governments, related bodies, and business partners to carry out the policies we need to restore and revive economic activities.