JAPAN NIXES PLAN TO PUNISH COVID PATEINTS REFUSING HOSPITALIZATION

Japan's ruling party agreed to scrap a plan to make it a criminal offense for COVID-19 patients to refuse hospitalization, ceding to opposition criticism that the punishment was too harsh.

The introduction of a prison sentence of up to one year had been part of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's efforts to bolster the government's ability to fight a recent surge in infections.

The government had sought to introduce a prison sentence of up to one year or a maximum fine of 1 million yen ($9,500) for people who refuse to be hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus, and a fine of up to 500,000 yen for those who do not cooperate with epidemiological surveys by health authorities.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan did, however, agree on fines to penalize uncooperative COVID-19 patients as well as restaurants and bars that refuse to comply with orders for shorter operating hours, albeit lower penalties than the government had sought.

Parliament is set to begin deliberations on the necessary revisions to the infectious diseases law and the coronavirus special measures law Friday and enact them next Wednesday.

Suga said the government would respect the changes, adding that even the pared-down penalties would help improve the effectiveness of its pandemic response. "We will do everything we can to stem the spread of the coronavirus," he told reporters.

WEEKLY FEATURE : JOSE MARI CHAN AND THE CHRISTMAS ANTHEM