Japan to expand virus emergency
● The three additional areas will join Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures already under the emergency Coronavirus restrictions through May 31, Japan PM Suga announced at a government taskforce meeting on Friday.
Tokyo, May 14: Japan on Friday further expanded a Coronavirus state of emergency from six areas, including Tokyo, to nine, as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga repeated his determination to hold the Olympics in just over two months.
Japan has been struggling to slow infections ahead of the Games. The three additions are Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, where the Olympic marathon will be held, and Hiroshima and Okayama in western Japan.
Despite the worsening infections, Suga stressed his commitment to holding the games safely and securely while protecting Japanese by strictly controlling the movements of foreign participants, including possibly expelling journalists covering the event if they defy regulations.
“I understand there are various difficulties, but the priority is to stop the further spread of infections and protect the people’s lives and health,” Suga said.
The three additional areas will join Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures already under the emergency coronavirus restrictions through May 31, Suga announced at a government taskforce meeting Friday. Bars, karaoke parlors and most entertainment facilities are required to close. Business owners who comply will be compensated; those who don’t could face fines.
“Infections are escalating extremely rapidly in populated areas,” Suga said. “As new variants continue to spread, we judged that now is a very important time to stop the further spread of infections.”
It was the second expansion of the emergency in just one week.
Suga said he will decide on a possible further extension by evaluating the virus situation at the end of May.