TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan's main opposition party leader took aim at the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday for its purported delayed action in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic currently sweeping the nation.
Leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) Yukio Edano also slammed as being "extreme" the government's plans to penalize people who choose not to follow health officials' recommendations, stating there are more pressing issues that must be dealt with regarding tackling the virus.
During the first Diet debate, Edano said the country's medical system has already entirely buckled under surging COVID-19 cases owing to the government's dithering in tackling the crisis.
"The health system is not just strained but has already collapsed due to the government's slow response," Edano said.
"The government should admit a delay in making the decision and reflect on it," demanded Edano.
He was referring to a state of emergency for Tokyo and three of its neighboring prefectures finally being declared on Jan. 7, when the CDPJ had been urging such measures be taken as far back as Dec. 18, when the virus was showing signs of a serious resurgence.
The Japanese leader declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures on Jan. 7, which was expanded almost a week later to cover 11 prefectures nationwide, including Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto and Aichi prefectures.
As things stand, the virus emergency is set to stay in place through Feb. 7.
Edano also denounced some of the the government's plan to pass revised legislation making it possible to punish people and businesses that refuse to comply with requests made under the virus emergency declaration.
Specifically, Edano took issue at the legal revision that would make it possible to penalize people testing positive for COVID-19 but refusing hospitalization.
Edano described such punitive measures as being "extreme," and said that there were more important priorities that need dealing with such as providing more support to health care staff. Enditem