The government on Tuesday approved an action plan for responding to new outbreaks of infectious diseases, revised based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the plan, Japan will promote vaccine research and development before an outbreak occurs and take strong measures, such as declaring a state of emergency in times of medical emergency, even when scientific findings are insufficient.
The government will implement the plan flexibly, taking into account the impact of the measures on people’s lives. The action plan has undergone a complete revision for the first time since the original version was adopted in 2013.
