The central government building housing the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is seen in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. (Mainichi/Kimi Takeuchi)

       TOKYO -- The health ministry and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are preparing to issue a formal request that the capital's medical institutions accept coronavirus patients, it has been learned.

       Under the law, if medical institutions do not comply with a government or a prefectural governor request without justifiable reason, then they can become subject to an advisory with more legal force. If they still don't comply, the hospital's name can be publicly released.

       The metropolitan government and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare are coordinating the request under the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases. Health minister Norihisa Tamura and Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike were set to discuss the move on the afternoon of Aug. 23. It would be the national government's first time making such a request.

       The move comes as Tokyo remains under pressure to secure beds for COVID-19 patients. According to the Cabinet Secretariat, hospital beds for patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19 had reached a 90% occupancy rate as of Aug. 19.

       (Japanese original by Ryosuke Abe, Lifestyle and Medical News Department)

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