Japanese minister Noda confirmed coronavirus positive
14:05 JST, April 2, 2022
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Seiko Noda, minister in charge of measures against the declining birthrate, has been confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus, the House of Representatives said Friday.
Noda, a member of the lower chamber of the Diet, took an antigen test for COVID-19 because she had a slight fever Friday morning, and tested positive, according to the Cabinet Office. Her infection was confirmed in a polymerase chain reaction test conducted later in the day.
Noda, who became the first Cabinet minister confirmed with the virus, has symptoms of slight fever and slight nasal voice. She canceled all of her duties scheduled for Friday and is isolating at home.
She is in charge of a bill to set up a government agency for children and families, regarded as key legislation by the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The government and the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling bloc had aimed to begin discussions on the bill at the lower house on Thursday next week. Noda’s infection is expected to force them to review the schedule.
Members of a relevant Lower House committee and parliamentary affairs officials of the ruling and opposition parties are holding discussions on the rescheduling of the Diet debate, Tsuyoshi Takagi, chief of the LDP’s Diet Affairs Committee, told reporters.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
-
U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
-
JAL Airplane Experiences Radio Malfunction During Flight, Lands Safely By Relying on Light Signals
-
Cherry tree falls on man on Sanneizaka steps leading to famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto
-
Strong Earthquake Rocks Southern Part of Kyushu; No Risk of a Tsunami
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Japan Household Spending Down 0.5% in Feb.
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’