Will the government’s new proactive “manen boshi” (prevention of the spread) program be sufficiently effective in fending off a fresh wave of new coronavirus infections?

The current resurgence of new COVID-19 cases is threatening to grow into an emergency even more serious than the third wave of infections that started sweeping through Japan last autumn.

Clearly, the government needs to consider additional policy actions while taking tried and tested measures.

The government on April 1 decided to invoke, for the first time, the “manbo” program established as part of the revisions to the special measures law on infectious diseases that took effect in February in response to rapid increases in cases in Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures.

The governors of Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures will implement the measures from April 5 to May 5 in Osaka city, the Hyogo Prefecture cities of Kobe, Nishinomiya, Amagasaki and Ashiya, as well as Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture.

The centerpiece of the program is a request for bars and restaurants to close operations at 8 p.m. and take other precautionary measures including installing acrylic boards in seats, steps taken during the third wave.

In addition to these measures, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura will also ask dining establishments to require all customers to wear a face mask and decline service to those who refuse to comply.

The results of the efforts so far, however, raise questions about whether measures focused on eateries are sufficient for reining in the spread of the virus. It is also questionable whether such measures will be thoroughly implemented.

The April 1 decision means that the areas in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures covered by the new program will return to the restrictions imposed under the state of emergency that was lifted at the end of February.

At that time, many experts warned that it would be premature to end the state of emergency, but the national government nevertheless went ahead in response to calls from local governments for lifting the emergency as early as possible.

It is vital to review the decision to determine whether it was appropriate.

One worrisome question about the current resurgence is whether and how more contagious variants are compounding the situation.

Some members of the panel of experts advising the health ministry on policy responses to the pandemic pointed out in a recent meeting that the ratios of such new variants among newly confirmed COVID-19 cases are higher in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures than in other prefectures.

Experts said this is probably a factor behind the rapid expansion of infections in these areas.

New variants have already spread nationwide, causing many clusters of infections.

This is adding to the burden borne by public health care centers responsible for epidemiological surveys as well as medical institutions, with all patients showing symptoms, whether serious or mild, requiring hospitalization, in principle.

In addition to increasing the number of PCR diagnostic tests, it is also urgent to enhance the systems to monitor and contain new variants.

The pre-emergency manbo program was cobbled together in haste during debate on the revisions to the special measures law. The government has rushed to invoke it in response to the recent surge in cases in Osaka and other areas.

This new approach gives governors broad discretion to issue orders as well as requests and mete out punishment for noncompliance. The central and local government heads should offer detailed explanations about this program and move carefully in taking the steps prescribed by the law.

But Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has failed to show a strong commitment to these imperatives.

When, following the government’s decision to resort to the new pre-emergency program, he was asked by reporters about the responsibility for allowing the resurgence of cases and the wisdom of lifting the state of emergency, Suga only stressed that the government has sought opinions of experts.

The Suga administration should first confront the harsh reality sincerely and then start working out policies and plans for dealing with the changing situation.

Suga needs to inform the public about the policy decisions and actions through his own words.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 2