Japan Closes All Schools
Due to Coronavirus Japan Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe announced the nationwide
school closure on Thursday. In his statement,
Abe said the closures were
an effort to place "priority on
children’s health and safety.” Schools will likely be closed
through the end of March. The closures come amid criticism
that Abe's government has not
been aggressive enough in
fighting the spread of coronavirus. It also shocked local leaders and
working parents, leaving some to
wonder if the motivations were political. Japan is the scheduled host of the
2020 summer olympics, set to take place in Tokyo. Should the virus continue to
spread in the country, there have been
fears the games would have to be canceled. Tobias Harris, Analyst, via 'The New York Times'