緊急事態宣言、市区町村単位で　西村担当相に要望―全国知事会

　全国知事会の飯泉嘉門会長（徳島県知事）は２７日、新型コロナウイルス対策をめぐる西村康稔経済再生担当相とのテレビ会議で、今後緊急事態宣言を発令する場合には、都道府県単位ではなく、市区町村単位とするよう要望した。住民に身近な基礎自治体ごととすることで、機動的な運用が可能になり、社会経済活動への影響も少なくできるとしている。
　宣言はこれまで、都道府県を対象範囲として運用されてきたが、飯泉会長は、新型コロナ対策の特別措置法などにそうした規定はないと指摘。その上で「宣言を都道府県レベルで出すと、社会経済的に大きな影響を与える。効果的に発動される体制を考えてほしい」と強調した。（2020/07/27-17:28）

Kamon Iizumi, head of Japan's National Governors' Association, has called on the central government to issue a novel coronavirus state of emergency for municipalities, not for prefectures, if such action becomes necessary again.
   Iizumi, governor of Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, made the request in a videoconference with economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Monday. A municipality-based state of emergency will give more flexibility than a state of emergency issued for prefectures, having relatively minor impacts on the economy and society, according to Iizumi.
   The Japanese government declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus crisis on April 7 for seven prefectures with a surge in infection cases, including Tokyo, and expanded it to cover all 40 other prefectures of the country as well on April 16. The emergency declaration was lifted in stages in May.
   Iizumi said that the special measures law on the fight against the coronavirus does not have a clause stipulating that a state of emergency should be issued on a prefectural basis. "A prefecture-based emergency will have major impacts on economic and social activities," Iizumi said, adding, "I want the government to create a system to issue a state of emergency in an effective way."
   At a news conference on the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga sounded cautious about Iizumi's request, saying, "The government designates prefectures as the targets of a state of emergency because authority under the special law is exercised by prefectural governors."