Japanese health minister apologises for staff violating coronavirus SOPs

• Japan’s health minister apologised after health ministry staff members were found violating coronavirus safety precautions.
• Norihisa Tamura confirms that 23 ministry employees ate dinner together on March 24.
  
• The minister says that he will investigate the matter quickly.

TOKYO: After health ministry staff members were found violating coronavirus safety precautions, Japan’s health minister apologised on Tuesday, saying that he would thoroughly investigate the matter.

Norihisa Tamura confirmed that 23 ministry employees ate dinner together on March 24.

Read more: Japan detects another new coronavirus strain

Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures emerged from a state of emergency over COVID-19 infections on March 21, but the government has continued to ask restaurants to close early at 9pm and for the public to limit gatherings.

According to a separate report in the Yomiuri Newspaper, the health ministry staffers gathered for a farewell party at a pub in the Ginza district of Tokyo, with some staying until midnight.