Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 10 - 16 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Pushed by JCP, health ministry improves measures to prevent Ebola epidemic

Following the request by Japanese Communist Party Upper House member Koike Akira, the Health Ministry on December 9 announced a plan to add 30 quarantine officers in 21 airports across the country as part of measures to prevent the Ebola virus from entering Japan.

The ministry will also attach two more researchers to the Infectious Disease Surveillance Center (IDSC).

Koike on November 8 in a Diet meeting demanded that the government improve the quarantine system due to the recent epidemic of Ebola in West Africa.

Currently, 30 airports have a quarantine station, but the number of quarantine officers is less than the designated quota of 384.

Koike pointed out that even though the number of people traveling abroad is increasing, the government budget allocated to quarantine stations and the IDSC is decreasing.

“The government should drastically increase the number of quarantine officers in order to protect people’s health and lives by increasing the total number of government officials,” Koike stressed.

Health Minister Shiozaki Yasuhisa in response said, “As you have pointed out, an adequate defense against Ebola at airports is essential. We will improve the quarantine system.”

Regarding the prevention of infectious diseases, the JCP proposes that it is important to promote research activities and vaccine development, to improve community healthcare systems, and to strengthen the quarantine system at airports.