Photo/Illutration The square at Jiyugaoka Station in Tokyo’s Meguro Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A Cabinet member running in the Lower House election revealed in a speech in Tokyo that a rival was infected with the novel coronavirus, despite a law against actions that can identify COVID-19 patients.

Kenji Wakamiya, minister for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, is battling in the Tokyo No. 5 electoral district against two others and is supported by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

In his campaign speech at Jiyugaoka Station in Tokyo’s Meguro Ward on Oct. 27, Wakamiya mentioned the profession of a rival candidate and said, “It appears that this person was infected with the coronavirus.”

He continued: “Contracting the virus is something unavoidable because people come and go, and we must use trains.

“We have never held an indoor gathering during the campaign to prevent the spread of infections as much as possible.”

His speech was held around 5:20 p.m.

Several hours later, past midnight, the rival candidate acknowledged the infection on Facebook.

The law on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic was revised in February and included clauses to prevent prejudice and discrimination against infected people.

It calls on state and local authorities to instruct the public to avoid activities that can locate and reveal the identities of individuals who have tested positive for the virus.

Wakamiya told The Asahi Shimbun on the morning of Oct. 28 that a campaign staff member had informed him about the rival candidate’s infection.

“If somebody in my camp got infected, people would mention it,” he said. “I was merely referring (to the infection) as a fact.”

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