Japan's health authorities are beginning to make a concerted effort to prevent the spread of the SARS epidemic. No case of severe acute respiratory syndrome has been reported in Japan so far, but health officials leave open the possibility that the deadly virus might be brought into the country by people returning home from vacations in affected regions. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare called a national meeting of local-government officials in charge of health and sanitation -- the first such gathering to discuss anti-SARS measures.

A number of precautionary measures are already in the works, although they are not compulsory. On May 1, halfway through the Golden Week holiday season, the health ministry said it would request that returnees from China and Hong Kong stay at home for about 10 days. It also decided to recommend hospitalization for those suspected of having contracted the disease.

Now the ministry plans to take stronger action in tandem with local administrations. Cooperation between central and local authorities is necessary to find and treat patients early on -- steps essential to preventing the spread of an infectious disease. Teamwork is also required to keep the public properly informed and protect patients' human rights.