Press Conference by SUZUKI Shunichi, Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Financial Services

(Excerpt)

(Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 10:31 am to 10:41 am)

[Opening remarks:]

Regarding the government request for COVID-19 certificates, in accordance with a request from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding COVID-19 infections, we have asked that consideration be given to obtaining COVID-19 certificates and other documents from medical institutions and public health centers. Based on a July 29 decision by the government's Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters and on the current level of infections, the request was made yesterday to the industry organizations related to the Financial Services Agency to ensure that employees are not required to submit additional test results to work offices when they take time off or return to work at their respective offices, etc. due to COVID-19, in the interest of avoiding further workload pressure on fever clinics and public health centers. The same request has also been made to industry organizations related to the Ministry of Finance. We will continue working with the relevant ministries and agencies to ensure that medical institutions and health centers are not unduly burdened with administrative paperwork so that they can concentrate on persons at high risk of serious illness.