Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato known as for added investigation and evaluation and mentioned Japan will encourage WHO to contemplate extra investigation inside China.
Japan is asking for additional investigation into the origins of COVID-19, saying the World Health Organization (WHO) report launched this week was primarily based on work that confronted delays and lacked entry to important virus samples.
“In order to prevent future pandemics, it is indispensable to carry out prompt, independent and experts-led investigations that are free of surveillance,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato informed reporters. “We are concerned that the latest investigation faced delays and the lack of access to virus samples.” The WHO’s report was launched on Tuesday after consultants travelled to Wuhan, China, the town the place sicknesses from the coronavirus had been first detected in late 2019.
China has touted its cooperation with WHO and warned that makes an attempt to politicise the matter would value lives. The U.S. and different nations say the WHO report lacked essential data, entry and transparency and additional research was warranted.
Mr. Kato known as for added investigation and evaluation and mentioned Japan will encourage WHO to contemplate extra investigation inside China.
“We will further cooperate with other countries in carrying out additional studies that are still necessary,” Mr. Kato mentioned.
The report mentioned the virus almost definitely got here from bats and unfold to an unidentified mammal earlier than being transmitted to individuals. It known as a laboratory leak an unlikely route of transmission that didn’t warrant additional research.