Mar 4, 2020.- Some Japanese dioceses have suspended Masses for several weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic across the country.
Last week, the Archdiocese of Tokyo cancelled all public Masses for more than two weeks in order to prevent the spread of the virus — a policy in line with secular precautions being taken by the Japanese government.
Masses will be suspended until March 14th in the Tokyo area.
More than 1,000 people in Japan have contracted coronavirus, and, of March 4, 12 people in the country have died.
Tokyo’s Archbishop Isao Kikuchi is the former bishop of the Niigata diocese in Northwestern Japan, and, because that diocese remains vacant, he is still entrusted with its leadership.
With the appearance of multiple positive tests for the coronavirus in Niigata City in recent days, the archbishop has now canceled all public Masses in the Niigata dioceses, which will be effective from March 3rd until the 21st.
In an official statement, Archbishop Kikuchi of Tokyo stated, “It was pointed out that with the rate of the spread of infections at this time, the next two weeks is crucial for the prevention of outbreaks, thus recommending to refrain from holding gatherings with [an] unspecified number of people.”
In an official statement, Archbishop Kikuchi of Tokyo stated, “It was pointed out that with the rate of the spread of infections at this time, the next two weeks is crucial for the prevention of outbreaks, thus recommending to refrain from holding gatherings with [an] unspecified number of people.”
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