厚労省職員、深夜まで宴会　２３人で時短要請中に

　厚生労働省老健局の職員２３人が、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大を受けた緊急事態宣言が解除された３日後の今月２４日、東京・銀座の居酒屋で宴会を開催していたことが２９日、分かった。東京都は飲食店に対し午後９時までの営業時間短縮を求めていたが、職員は深夜まで会食していた。厚労省は職員の処分を検討する。（2021/03/30-00:10）

Twenty-three Japanese Health Ministry employees held a drinking party at an "izakaya" pub in Tokyo's posh Ginza district Wednesday, three days after the government's state of emergency over the novel coronavirus ended in the Japanese capital, it was learned Monday.
   While the Tokyo metropolitan government is asking eating and drinking establishments in the capital to end daily operations at 9 p.m. or earlier, the 23 employees at the ministry's Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly stayed at the pub until late in the night, sources familiar with the matter said.
   The ministry will consider punishing them, according to the sources.
   Health minister Norihisa Tamura will give an explanation about the drinking party at a press conference on Tuesday.
   The Japanese government is calling on the public to refrain from holding dining sessions among five or more participants, noting that parties involving drinking, and dining and drinking events in large groups and for long hours increase the risk of infection with the novel coronavirus.