The government's new program to provide one-off cash benefits of up to Y400,000 to pandemic-affected small companies will cover not only suppliers for eating and drinking facilities but also ryokan Japanese-style inns and taxi operators, the industry ministry has said.

The program was devised following the government’s recent declaration of a new state of emergency over the novel coronavirus now covering Tokyo and 10 other prefectures.

The government hopes to start the payments as soon as March, after finding a business operator to serve as the project’s secretariat and establishing related systems.

Eligible for the relief will be businesses whose sales fell by 50% or more in January or February from the year-before levels.

The aid scheme will give small and midsize firms up to Y400,000 and self-employed people up to Y200,000.

It will cover suppliers across the country dealing directly or indirectly with drinking and eating establishments in the areas placed under the emergency declaration.