The WHO has been accused by U.S. and allies of turning a blind eye while China withheld information
Japan will call for an investigation into the World Health Organization’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said.
“With the European Union, (Japan) will propose that a fair, independent and comprehensive verification be conducted,” Abe said on an internet program Friday May 15, 2020.
He said the proposal will be made at the WHO’s general assembly to begin Monday.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also said Friday that Japan is joining a chorus of calls for such an investigation, which should be conducted by an independent body.
“This disease has had a devastating impact on the entire world, and information must be shared between countries in a free, transparent and timely manner, lest we risk it spreading even more quickly,” Motegi said in a parliamentary session, in reference to COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
“There’s a lot of discussion in the international community about precisely where the virus came from and the initial response,” he said. “There needs to be a thorough investigation, and it’s crucial that this be carried out by an independent body.”
The original article can be found here.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was honored with the World Leader for Peace and Security Award by the Boston Global Forum at Harvard University Faculty Club on Global Cybersecurity Day December 12, 2015.