(Date) March 3rd, 2020

(Time) 10:00p.m.

(Mayor’s Message)

Dear the Citizens of Hirakata City

I inform you about the latest circumstance relating to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in

Hirakata.

Today, a citizen of Hirakata was confirmed coronavirus positive. This is the first case in

Hirakata. Hirakata City Hall will cooperate with Osaka prefectural government to undertake

dynamic epidemiological investigations including the assessment of people who may have had

close contact with coronavirus-positive carriers.

Now, for protecting citizens’ daily lives and for providing the coronavirus carriers secure

medical treatments, we are making full efforts to minimise the coronavirus outbreak. In

addition, we always pay great attention to citizens’ human rights when carrying out any anti-

virus measures. We also need your cooperation to stop spreading misleading information,

searching who is coronavirus-positive, and defaming the coronavirus carriers on SNS and

internet.

It is thought that anyone will catch this disease. But, you do not have to have undue anxiety

about the novel coronavirus. What you should do for anti-coronavirus is, as well as the flu

prevention, to wash your hands, to gargle your throat, and to cover your mouth and nose when

coughing or sneezing. In addition, I would like to ask you to take proper actions based on

precise information given by the central government, the prefectural government, and the

municipal government.

March 3rd, 2020

FUSHIMI Takashi

Mayor of Hirakata City

(Date) March 3rd, 2020

(Mayor’s Message)

Dear the Citizens of Hirakata City

I inform you our new measures against COVID-19 infections.

We have already determined school closure until March 24th. But, we also have decided to

open tentative safe spaces for children to study and play when their parents are not at home

during daytime. Those tentative spaces are available at elementary schools and junior high

schools from 8:30a.m. to 3p.m. The eligible children are the first- to the third-grade

elementary school pupils who do not use Hirakata’s after-school childcare services, and all

pupils and students who attend lessons for special need education at elementary schools and

junior high schools.

In Hirakata’s after-school childcare services, staff members are instructing children to wash

their hands and gargle their throats. Furthermore, the staff members also are paying full

attention to keep proper distance among children in order to avoid spreading infections. The

after-school childcare services are available from 8:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. (extension childcare

opens until 7:00p.m.).

Medical check-ups for babies and infants that are scheduled from today to March 13th have

been postponed.

Moreover, the deadline for municipal and prefectural tax declaration of the 2020 fiscal year

has been changed to April 16th since the period of the income tax declaration has been

extended.

We will frequently update information about COVID-19 on our website.

March 3rd, 2020

FUSHIMI Takashi

Mayor of Hirakata City

(Date) March 2nd, 2020

(Mayor’s Message)

Dear the Citizens of Hirakata City

I inform you about our new measures against COVID-19.

The number of people being coronavirus-positive is increasing in entire Japan. It is also

confirmed that coronavirus infections affect Osaka. As announced on February 28th, we

decided to shut all elementary schools and junior high schools in Hirakata from today to March

24th.

In addition, even if you have booked in advance, I would like to ask you to refrain using city

indoor facilities such as life-long learning centres and sporting facilities for a while. The city

facility booking service is now being halted. The city library services are also stopped except

necessary ones. For more details, please contact each city facility.

The reason why city facilities are closed for a while is that we think everyone’s safety and

security as one of the first priorities. I know that these decisions will give you inconvenience.

I would like to request your understanding and cooperation about our decisions.

Now, the COVID-19 telephone consultation service system is being enhanced by increasing

the number of phones. I would like to ask you to wash your hands, gargle your throat, and

cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (even if you cannot buy face masks,

washing your hands is very effective to minimise the risk of infections).

We, Hirakata City Hall, are thinking citizens’ safety as one of the first priorities and are doing

our utmost in order that our anti-COVID-19 measures do not affect citizens’ daily lives. Again,

I would like to ask for your understanding and cooperation about our anti-COVID-19 policies.

Daily products such as toilet rolls are in out-of-stock at many shops due to the fact that a lot

of customers stockpile them. I also would like to ask you to take proper actions based on

precise information given by the central government, the prefectural government, and the

municipal government.

March 2nd

FUSHIMI Takashi

Mayor of Hirakata City

(Date) February 28th

(Mayor’s Message)

Dear the Citizens of Hirakata City

I inform you about our new measures against COVID-19.

The number of people being coronavirus positive is increasing in entire Japan. It is also

confirmed that coronavirus infections affect Osaka. Hence, I decided to shut all elementary

schools and junior high schools in Hirakata from March 2nd to the end of spring vacation.

Furthermore, the child development programmes named “Kodomo Ikiiki Hiroba” will be

halted from tomorrow (29th).

We are thinking children’s safety and security as one of the first priorities. I would like to ask

for your understanding about school shut. For parents who have to leave their children at

home without any carers, however, nursery schools, kindergartens, after-school childcare

services, and Hirakata Child Development Support Centre are available as usual. Of course,

these facilities are paying full attention to infectious prevention when accepting children.

From March, the COVID-19 telephone consultation service system for the citizens of

Hirakata will be enhanced by increasing the number of phones. I would like to request washing

your hands, gargling your throat, and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or

sneezing (even if you cannot buy face masks, washing your hands frequently is very effective

to minimise the risk of infections).

We, Hirakata City Hall, are thinking citizens’ safety as one of the first priorities. Based on this

notion, we are doing our utmost for citizens to live their daily lives as usual. I would be grateful

if you understand and help us.

February 28th, 2020

FUSHIMI Takashi

Mayor of Hirakata City

The today’s message published at 1p.m. said that Hirakata Child Development Support

Centre would be closed from March 2nd. But, the centre will open after March 2nd. We will

apologise and correct that.

(Date) February 19th

(Mayor’s Message)

Dear the Citizens of Hirakata City

I inform you about novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first reported from

Wuhan, China.

The number of people being coronavirus positive is increasing in entire Japan. To minimise

the outbreak of coronavirus infection, we have set up “Hirakata Novel Coronavirus Response

Headquarters” that shares information with relevant organisations such as fire authorities and

police and associates with medical institutions.

We have started the COVID-19 telephone consultation service for Hirakata’s citizens. In

addition, from February 4th, we open “Kikokusha Sesshokusha Sodan Centre” that is the

coronavirus consultation centre for people who have returned from overseas countries or who

may have closely contacted with persons tested coronavirus positive. If you suspect you are

infected with the novel coronavirus due to fever and respiratory symptoms, please contact the

coronavirus consultation centre.

We decided to cancel or postpone city hosting or co-hosting events where more than 100

people were expected to gather. Based on this decision, all city events scheduled until March

31st will be cancelled or postponed. We also consider putting off events where less than 100

people gather. I would like to ask for your understanding and cooperation about our infectious

prevention measures.

I also hope that companies and organisations in Hirakata will fully understand our decision. I

appreciate if they help us to the extent possible.

We will inform you about the latest anti-coronavirus measures on our website.

To prevent our daily lives from infections, washing your hands is very effective. I would like

to ask you to continue daily antivirus activities such as washing hands and covering mouth

and nose when coughing or sneezing. In particular, older adults and people who have

chronical diseases are at high risk for developing more serious symptoms due to the novel

coronavirus. Therefore, in addition to daily antivirus activities mentioned above, it is

necessary to keep distance from places where a lot of people gather. If you have cold symptoms

such as fever, you should not go to school or work but stay at home. You should also monitor

your condition by recording your temperature.

We are carrying out anti-coronavirus measures to protect citizens’ daily lives. I request to take

proper actions based on precise information given by the central government, the prefectural

government, and the municipal government.

February 19th, 2020

FUSHIMI Takashi

Mayor of Hirakata City