Restaurants and bars in Japan remain open and don't want to cut their business hours. (Image via Japan Today)

Japan's Lower House approves fines for breaching health protocols

On Monday, Japan's Lower House finally agreed to fine people and businesses unwilling to comply with the health protocols to prevent the mass spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Moreover, the bill passed by the Lower House will also allow the state of emergency to implement special measures to tackle the COVID-19 spread.

Previously, the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, and his party, the Liberal Democratic Party, also considered sending the COVID-19 patients who refuse treatment to prison for at least one year or 1 million yen fine. Especially, after the main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party, grilled them as being excessive.

The Minister of Economic Revitalization and also in charge of COVID-19 response, Yasutoshi Nishimura, told the Lower House panel that the Government wanted to implement special measures for the Stage 3 scenario, seeing the COVID-19 infection cases surge. Yet, they are also considering implementing it in Stage 2 if the surge worsens. 

Therefore, the Parliament then reviewed it for revisions to the COVID-19 special measures bill on Friday last week and set to ratify the legislation with the resolution as well. The bill fines COVID-19 patients unwilling to be hospitalized up to 500,000 yen, and 300,000 yen for people and businesses who don't comply with the epidemiological surveys issued by the health authorities. Previously, the fine for those who refuse the epidemiological surveys was 500,000 yen.

Moreover, restaurants and bars that don't shorten their business hours in the state of emergency will be fined 300,000 yen. The additional resolution asks businesses to just shorten their business hours, not closing them.

While Japan is facing the so-called "third wave" of COVID-19, Suga announced the state of emergency for Tokyo and its three vicinities, which then expanded to cover 11 prefectures in total. The state of emergency compels people to stay home and businesses to cut their business hours. Moreover, the companies are asked to telework and large events' attendance is limited.

While the other major economies set serious sanctions for noncompliance with the COVID-19 health protocols, Japan relies on its people's conscience. Yet, as the bars and restaurants' economies are hit hard by the COVID-19, they remain adamant to open, without any cut on their business hours.

Source: https://bit.ly/39C4ojI