Amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Japan, July 21, 2020, an empty street near the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, a popular tourist attraction, is pictured. REUTERS / Leika Kihara
Broadcaster NHK on Wednesday considered a state of emergency for Tokyo and Osaka as the new COVID-19 case numbers increase, a move that allows prefecture authorities to lay curbs to try to stop the spread of infections.
With thousands of new cases due to highly contagious virus strains, the government is expected to declare a state of emergency for the capital and Osaka prefecture, as well as neighboring Hyogo prefecture, this week, a number of local media reported.
Japan has so far avoided the kind of explosion of the pandemic that has plagued many Western countries, with total cases so far at about 540,000 and a death toll of 9,707. But the latest rise in infections has sounded alarming, just three months before the planned start of the Tokyo Olympics and amid a sluggish vaccination.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is preparing to declare a state of emergency from April 29 to May 9, which includes Japan’s annual ‘Golden Week’ holiday period, the Mainichi reported.
Osaka, the centerpiece of a fourth wave of the pandemic, on Tuesday called for a renewed state of emergency to cancel or postpone all major events to restrict the movement of people. In ten of the 47 prefectures in Japan, including the Tokyo and Osaka areas, almost emergency measures have been put in place. read more
The government of Kyoto Prefecture in western Japan is also preparing to request an emergency statement, the Jiji news service reported. If implemented in all four regions, the emergency measures will cover nearly a quarter of the Japanese population of 126 million.
New statements will be the third full state of emergency in Japan since the epidemic began. The total economic loss due to a renewed emergency in the three regions would amount to 1.156 trillion yen ($ 10.71 billion), the Nomura Research Institute said in a report.
Concerns about extended closing measures – and the slow pace of vaccinations – are spreading to investors, with Japanese stocks trading sharply and the Nikkei index losing 1.7%.
“Global investors find little reason to buy Japanese shares because Japan lags behind other countries in acquiring the virus,” said Hideyuki Ishiguro, senior strategist at Daiwa Securities.
Japan’s top spokesman Katsunobu Kato on Wednesday reiterated the government’s position that it would consider any requests for a state of emergency “quickly” without elaborating on a time frame.
Meanwhile, Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) will sign a contract this month to supply another 50 million doses of vaccine to Japan by September, the Nikkei newspaper reported. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was in talks with Pfizer CEO last Saturday to secure more vaccine doses during a visit to the United States. read more
Together with existing contracts with Pfizer and Moderna Inc. (MRNA.O), the COVID-19 vaccine of which is being reviewed by local regulators, it would be enough for the entire Japanese adult population.
Government spokeswoman Kato declined to comment on the amount of additional doses of Pfizer. The company did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters.
($ 1 = 107.9500 yen)
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