FUKUOKA A man accused of stalking and stabbing to death a former girlfriend on a sidewalk said he just happened to meet her that day and was carrying a knife for self-defense.
Business groups and the National Governors Association call for a legal basis for imposing punishment. But the Japanese Medical Science Federation has issued a statement in opposition to statutory penalties, saying that it would become difficult to obtain cooperation from citizens and that some people may avoid taking tests for the virus for fear of being penalized.
Lawyer Masaru Wakasa, a former head of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor s Office s public security department, expressed understanding for a legal revision. It is difficult under the current law to crack down on negative behavior including refusing to be admitted to hospital, he said.