Economics

Japan’s Nishimura Says Virus May Be Worse Than Financial Crisis

  • Economy Minister discusses effect of coronavirus on economy
  • Bold measures on an appropriate scale needed, Nishimura says

Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk past stores in the Akihabara shopping district of Tokyo.

Photographer: Noriko Hayashi/Bloomberg
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The effect of the new coronavirus on the economy could be worse than the 2008 financial crisis, Japan’s Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Sunday.

Speaking on Fuji Television, Nishimura called for strong measures to protect the economy, and said proper consideration should be given to whether reducing sales tax would bolster consumption.