TOKYO >> The Japanese government will extend a state of emergency in the Tokyo region by another two weeks, as the medical systems are still strained by COVID-19 patients, the minister in charge of virus response said today.
“For another two weeks we will keep the measure in place … so that we can ease the tension in hospitals” to meet the conditions to lift the emergency measures, Yasutoshi Nishimura, economic revival minister, told reporters.
Nishimura said the government had received preliminary approval from experts to extend the emergency until March 21 for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is due to formally announce the plan on Friday night after parliamentary approval.
Nishimura said medical systems in the region are still being taxed by COVID-19 patients and that more hospital beds need to be freed up.
Suga declared a month-long emergency on January 7 for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, which was later extended to March 7. A state of emergency applicable to other urban prefectures was lifted last week, underscoring the government’s eagerness to allow business to return to normal. as soon as possible.
The state of emergency, which is a non-binding request, focuses on asking restaurants, bars and other businesses to close voluntarily at 8 p.m. Japan has never had a mandatory exclusion, but has managed to keep infections relatively low with social distance and such voluntary measures.
Suga sought understanding for a two-week extension that he said would be the last. “I will do everything in our power to prevent a recovery from the infections and another emergency,” Suga said during a parliamentary session.
Experts were divided on the question of whether two weeks would be enough to get the infections under control, as the concern is high before the spring cherry blossom season, when many people challenge and party.
Controlling the spread of the virus, along with advancing vaccination, is seen as key for Japan, as Tokyo will host the Olympics, which will be delayed by one year from July 23 due to the virus.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and the heads of neighboring prefectures have expressed concern that the removal of the emergency could cause a rapid recovery in infections this weekend.
She expressed concern about the increasing activity of the people and the crowds that formed in the entertainment and business districts in downtown Tokyo before the cherry blossom season.
Dr Shigeru Omi, a former regional director of the World Health Organization and head of the COVID-19 government team, said the Tokyo region was prone to a revival and called on the authorities to put in place a strong system to prevent a rebound. .
Daily new cases in Tokyo have declined significantly after reaching a peak of around 2,000 in early January, but the decline has recently slowed. Tokyo today reported 278 new cases, slightly lower than 316 from the previous day, raising the total to 112,624. Nationwide, Japan today reported more than 436,000 cases and about 8,000 deaths.