Apr 16 (NHK) - Japan's government will call on companies to help address the shortage of masks and other medical supplies designed to protect medical professionals treating coronavirus patients .
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo will make the call at a teleconference on Wednesday with medical product makers and firms interested in starting to produce such items. He is to ask for the increased production of face masks, sanitizers, ventilators and other products.
Abe on Tuesday held a video conference with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and acknowledged that Japan depends heavily on ASEAN members for medical supplies. Along with the heads of China and South Korea, the participants at the talks agreed to work together to maintain the distribution of the products.
Japan is experiencing acute shortages of high-performance masks.
On Tuesday, a week passed since the government declared a state of emergency in seven prefectures.
The government says its current effort to limit outings is not enough. Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi on Tuesday repeated a call on the leaders of Japan's three main business organizations to cooperate in slashing the number of in-office employees by 70 percent or more. Nishimura is also in charge of coronavirus measures.
The government is asking people to stay home and reduce contact with others by 70 to 80 percent during the month-long state of emergency which it hopes to lift within that period.
