It is my great pleasure to have the opportunity today to participate in this virtual discussion. In my opening remarks, I will talk about the impact of COVID-19 on Japan's economy and the Bank of Japan's response. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on countries all over the world, and Japan is no exception. With the increasing number of confirmed cases, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency in April and implemented strict public health measures. As economic activity became significantly constrained, private consumption for April declined by about 20 percent from last year. New cases of ... (full story)