The Japanese government is preparing to dispatch military doctors and nurses to reinforce regional hospitals as the number of serious Covid-19 cases begins to rise.
“Our top priority is to maintain the medical system,” said economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on NHK television on Sunday. “On the assumption of a request from regional governors, we’re preparing for the possible dispatch of Self-Defence Force nurses.”
According to local reports, SDF nurses may be sent to the city of Asahikawa, on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. The city has suffered clusters of infections in local hospitals, reducing its capacity to handle the disease.