PM Suga urges Japan's largest business lobby to promote 'telework' amid hikes in COVID cases

Tokyo [Japan] August 18 : Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday urged Japan Business Federation to switch to telework or 'work from home' to reduce the number of commuters in the city amid an increase in the number of Coronavirus in the country.
Japan Business Federation also known as Keidanren is the largest business lobby in the country, Kyodo News reported.
PM Suga met Masakazu Tokura, Chairman of the Federation at its office in Tokyo. Suga said "Telework is an effective counter measure. It may be difficult for some businesses to implement, but I ask for cooperation."
Tokura responded that he will notify Keidanren members of the request with a view to slashing the number of commuters by 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government had imposed an emergency in three more prefectures in a bid to halt a recent flare-up in COVID-19 cases, Sputnik reported.
Earlier, Suga also informed that providing life-saving medical care is Japan's top priority as the country's medical system is under strain amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Japan's tally of new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday was 19,955 while capital city of Tokyo reported 4,377 cases and eight deaths.