State of emergency extended in Japan

A month before the Olympic Games begin, a state of emergency has been extended in 9 Japanese prefectures, including Tokyo. The extended decree is in force until June 20 and covers Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. In the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu, and Mie, strict non-emergency restrictions are in force and have also been extended until June 20.

According to a TTR Weekly report, bars, restaurants, karaoke joints, and all other venues that serve alcohol must remain closed. Restaurants that don’t serve alcohol must close by 10pm, while supermarkets and other essential stores may remain open. Residents are also asked not to travel between prefectures if at all possible and to avoid all non-essential trips after 8pm.

Japan is currently fighting a fourth wave of the virus, which couldn’t have come at a worse time, with the country hosting the Olympic Games next month – albeit a scaled-down, tightly-controlled version. The country is currently reporting over 4,000 daily new infections, with its healthcare services under enormous pressure. A government spokesperson says while case numbers are coming down, the overall infection rate remains high.

Japan has recorded 744,487 infections and 12,967 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

SOURCE: TTR Weekly