February 19, 2020

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Miyamoto Toru on February 18 urged that as part of measures to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19) from further spreading in the country, the government should encourage firms to introduce a sick leave system.

At a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting held on the day, JCP Miyamoto took up issues regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and touched on the Welfare Ministry’s guidelines on when those who may be infected with the new coronavirus should consult medical facilities. Under the guidelines, people with flu-like symptoms such as a fever are required to stay at home.

Miyamoto pointed out that in regard to the implementation of the guidelines, the ministry cited the use of a sick leave system, but in reality, only 25% of business entities have this system. He said that at workplaces without sick leave, workers who get ill hesitate to take days off due to anxiety in regard to potential pay cuts.

He demanded that in order to make the guidelines effective, the government should work to push more and more companies to introduce a sick leave system.