Tokyo 22nd August : Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began work remotely on Monday, after he was positive for Covid-19 one day prior, the top government spokesperson stated.According to the Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Kishida, 65, has only minor symptoms of the disease and was allowed to attend a conference remote from his official home on Monday morning, according to Xinhua news agency.
Matsuno revealed that plans are being developed to ensure that the Prime Minister is able to be a part in as many of the events coming up as is possible, via the use of technology, both virtual and otherwise.
Kishida must remain in isolation until August 30, Matsuno said.
One of the events he may have to participate in online could be the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) which will take place in Tunisia between August 27 and 28.
His planned trip to the Middle East after TICAD is likely to be cancelled, sources in the government confirmed.
Kishida was given his fourth vaccine shot for Covid-19 on the 12th of August, just prior to the start of his summer vacation on the 15th of August.
After playing golf with his family in Ibaraki Prefecture on August 16, he stayed at a hot spring-filled inn in Shizuoka the next day.
On the 18th of August, they took in some sights in the city of Shizuoka according to local accounts.
He began showing signs of the virus around the time of his birthday on the night following returning to his home in Tokyo late on Friday afternoon.
He found positive for the virus on Sunday.
Kishida was scheduled for return work on Monday.
The symptoms of the patient included mild fever as well as cough, according to the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Japan is in the grip of the seventh wave of the pandemic.The country reported daily cases of record numbers this week because the BA.5 Omicron subvariant of the virus continues to be a problem throughout the country.
