Japan's Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe on Saturday promised a massive unprecedented package of steps to cushion the
economy from the coronavirus pandemic, saying the country was close to a national emergency as infections surged in Tokyo.
Abe told a country that is seeing a rising number of deaths and cases from the outbreak that the "huge, powerful" measures would be greater than the response to the global financial crisis of 2008.
"Japan is holding up barely, but it would not be strange if there were a rapid spread (of the virus) at any time," Abe told a nationally televised news conference, though he held back from declaring a state of emergency.