Japan to use over $7 billion to boost subsidies for restaurants amid COVID-19 emergency

The Japanese government has decided to use 741.8 billion yen ($7.15 billion) in reserve funds to boost subsidies for restaurants and bars shortening their operating hours in line with the COVID-19 emergency declaration. This comes as the government expanded the state of emergency in 11 prefectures nationwide to combat the third wave of COVID-19 infections.  

These prefectures include Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Aichi, Gifu, Fukuoka, and Tochigi, in addition to three neighboring prefectures that were declared a week ago. Japan has already declared a state of emergency for Tokyo until February 7. Under the state of emergency, restaurants and bars have been asked to stop serving alcohol by 7:00 pm and close shop by 8:00 pm.

Read: Japan Mulls Over Expanding State Of Emergency To Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo As Cases Surge

The additional funding will be made available so as the regional governments can provide financial support to restaurants and bars that comply with emergency requests. As per ANI reports, state subsidies of up to 60,000 yen ($578) per day will be made available, increasing from 40,000 yen when the state of emergency was declared in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures last week.

Japan had earmarked around 270 billion yen ($2.60 billion) by the end of last year to provide such subsidies and allocated a total of 11.5 trillion yen ($110.94 billion) in reserve funds to be used for the COVID-19 emergency, the report added.

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Harsher punishment for Violators

Meanwhile, in another desperate measure to curb the heightening coronavirus spread in Japan, authorities are now mulling to impose "harsher punishments" on violators such as prison sentences and hefty fines. Japan recently reported a never seen before third strain of COVID-19 leaving authorities flinching to stop its spread. On January 15, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare met to discuss more stringent measures as overall cases climbed to 302,623 with over 4,233 people dead, as per tally by John Hopkins University.

As per the Kyodo news agency, the Yoshihide Suga led administration earlier floated a revision of infectious disease law to crack down on flouters of restrictions measures. The health officials largely approved the rules proposed by the Suga government, the news agency reported. As per the regulations, those refusing to be hospitalised would face a maximum fine of 1 million yen ($ 9,600) or a prison sentence of up to one year while people who hamper contact tracing effort can expect a maximum fine of 500,000 yen or jail time of up to six months, the agency reported.

Read: COVID-19: Japan Mulls Harsher Punishment For People Violating Restrictions

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