A week before the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was scheduled to attend an African development summit in Tunisia, his office said Sunday that the leader had tested positive for Covid-19.According to a representative of the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office, Kishida underwent a PCR test “after experiencing a moderate temperature and a cough” starting on Saturday evening.
He may now participate remotely in the August 27–28 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), according to reports in local media, including the public broadcaster NHK. Japan has recently seen a record number of Covid-19 cases, although with 36,780 total deaths, it has significantly fewer than many other nations.The fourth vaccination shot for the 65-year-old Kishida, who entered office in October, was administered earlier this month.
He was scheduled to return to work on Monday after taking a vacation with his family. Japan has never implemented a complete lockdown, and in March the nation-wide anti-infection regulations that largely targeted bar and restaurant opening hours were restored. The country’s borders have largely reopened, but visitors are still not permitted unless they are travelling in organised groups.
Since 1993, Tokyo has collaborated with African nations to organise TICAD about every five years. According to a briefing document from the Japanese foreign ministry, Japan would vehemently support “African-led development” at the next summit with an emphasis on the economy, society, and peace and stability.
