Earlier this month, the quasi-state of emergency in Tokyo and 12 other prefectures was extended until Sunday March 6. As hospitals continue to grapple with high numbers of Covid-19 patients brought on largely by the Omicron variant, the emergency measures could be extended once again.
As reported by Kyodo News, Japan is considering a possible two-week extension for the quasi-state of emergency in Tokyo and nine other prefectures. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will consult with prefectural governors and public health experts before making a decision.
The prefectures that could be affected by this extension are: Aichi, Chiba, Gifu, Hyogo, Kanagawa, Kyoto, Mie, Osaka, Saitama and Tokyo.
The current quasi-emergency measures include shortened business hours for restaurants and bars. There’s also a request for people to refrain from non-essential travel between prefectures. Currently, 31 prefectures across Japan are under the quasi-emergency status, which is slated to end on Sunday March 6.
On Sunday February 27, more than 63,000 new Covid-19 infections were recorded in Japan.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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