TOKYO: Japan will not reintroduce a state of emergency to tackle COVID-19, a government spokesman said on Friday (Jul 3), as cases in Tokyo rose to a two-month high driven by the spread of the virus in the capital's night spots.
Tokyo reported 124 new cases on Friday, up from 107 the day before.
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The rise is partly due to increased testing among nightlife workers in the Shinjuku and Ikebukuro districts.
But despite the spike, the number of serious cases is declining and there was no need to reinstate the state of emergency that was lifted on May 25, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.
READ: Tokyo's first woman governor set for re-election even as COVID-19 cases rise
Japan's infection rates remain far below many other countries but the rising number of cases and the possibility of renewed restrictions have put the authorities and businesses on edge.
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Tokyo is on amber alert – the third most severe in a four rank scale – Governor Yuriko Koike said, with its medical facilities ranked at the lesser yellow level, indicating they are not in immediate risk of being overwhelmed.
"We will prevent the spread of infection while maintaining daily life," said Koike, Tokyo's first female governor who is expected to win a second term comfortably in an election on Sunday after a campaign dominated by the pandemic.
READ: As Japan re-opens, a hospital grapples with COVID-19 aftermath
Preventive measures have already pushed Japan's economy into a recession in the first quarter, with a deeper contraction expected in the April-June quarter.
The state of emergency gave governors of Japan's 47 prefectures stronger legal authority to urge people to stay home and businesses to clRead More – Source
TOKYO: Japan will not reintroduce a state of emergency to tackle COVID-19, a government spokesman said on Friday (Jul 3), as cases in Tokyo rose to a two-month high driven by the spread of the virus in the capital's night spots.
Tokyo reported 124 new cases on Friday, up from 107 the day before.
Advertisement
Advertisement
The rise is partly due to increased testing among nightlife workers in the Shinjuku and Ikebukuro districts.
But despite the spike, the number of serious cases is declining and there was no need to reinstate the state of emergency that was lifted on May 25, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.
READ: Tokyo's first woman governor set for re-election even as COVID-19 cases rise
Japan's infection rates remain far below many other countries but the rising number of cases and the possibility of renewed restrictions have put the authorities and businesses on edge.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Tokyo is on amber alert – the third most severe in a four rank scale – Governor Yuriko Koike said, with its medical facilities ranked at the lesser yellow level, indicating they are not in immediate risk of being overwhelmed.
"We will prevent the spread of infection while maintaining daily life," said Koike, Tokyo's first female governor who is expected to win a second term comfortably in an election on Sunday after a campaign dominated by the pandemic.
READ: As Japan re-opens, a hospital grapples with COVID-19 aftermath
Preventive measures have already pushed Japan's economy into a recession in the first quarter, with a deeper contraction expected in the April-June quarter.
The state of emergency gave governors of Japan's 47 prefectures stronger legal authority to urge people to stay home and businesses to clRead More – Source
