Japan expands virus state of emergency
Infections surging ahead of Olympics
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga added three more prefectures to a coronavirus state of emergency, as his government confronts a worsening surge of infections just over two months before Tokyo is set to host the Olympics.
The emergency status, which currently includes Tokyo and other major metro areas, will be expanded to the northern island of Hokkaido as well as Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures. It will be effective May 16 through the end of the month, Suga said at a meeting of his virus task force Friday.
“The spread of the virus differs by area, and it is spreading rapidly in some regions,” Suga said at the meeting. Less stringent restrictions will also be applied to a broader area of the country, he said.
The premier is facing public criticism for pressing ahead with the global sports spectacle amid worries it could be a superspreader event. The country’s vaccination rollout ranks among the slowest in the developed world -- hampering Japan’s fight to stem infections.
By contrast with past practice, the decision to expand the state of emergency appears to have been led by experts, who have mostly rubber-stamped government decisions. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of virus policies, told reporters the emergency would be expanded more broadly than initially planned after experts called for stronger measures at a panel meeting Friday morning.
With the Olympics set to start July 23, Suga has few tools to curb infections. The restrictions mean that bars and restaurants are made to close at 8 p.m. and banned from selling alcohol, while some large stores are closed. The move also increases the risk that Japan will fall back into recession and comes after some regional leaders this week called for the emergency to be expanded nationwide.
“The Olympics and Paralympics are the world’s greatest celebration of peace and bring courage and hope to the people,” Suga told a later news conference.