Japan’s PM extending state of emergency until May 31

TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended yesterday the nationwide state of emergency until the end of May to reduce new coronavirus infections amid nascent signs of the epidemic levelling off.

Mr Abe made the announcement at a meeting of a government task force on the coronavirus response after an advisory panel concluded the extension was appropriate. The state of emergency was initially set to expire tomorrow, the last day of the Golden Week holiday period in Japan.

The extension comes as the medical system has been stretched thin by rising cases and economic activity depressed due to stay-at-home and business closure requests under the emergency declaration.

Mr Abe, who has warned of a protracted battle against Covid-19, was scheduled to meet the press at 6pm local time to explain the reasoning behind his decision.

Economic revitalisation minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told parliament that the number of newly reported cases has been on a downward trend but the pace of decline is not fast enough.

“We need to see a further reduction in new cases,” Mr Nishimura told a lower house session as he explained the government’s plan to lawmakers.

While the state of emergency remains in force nationwide, some of the current constraints on social and economic activities will be eased in prefectures where the infection situation is not designated as requiring “special caution.”

The reopening of parks, libraries and museums, meanwhile, will likely be permitted across the country on condition that preventive steps against the virus are taken.

Speaking in parliament, Mr Nishimura said a government panel of medical experts will monitor the situation in each area and make an assessment a week as well as two weeks from now.

He said the measures could be lifted if a prefecture sees the situation stabilise. Mr Abe laid the groundwork for the extension last week, saying a return to normalcy would not come soon.