MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2021) Japan's Osaka prefecture announced tougher coronavirus restrictions on Monday, casting doubt on the Olympic torch relay that is due to pass through the region in mid-April, media reported.
The NHK said it was unlikely that torch bearers will run on Osaka's public roads. The Tokyo Organizing Committee warned in February that whole sections of the relay might be scrapped if coronavirus measures were tightened at the locations through which the flame passed.
Eateries have been asked to close early to limit the spread of the virus after Osaka reported 341 new cases on Monday, the highest daily tally since the start of the outbreak. Same measures were announced in the Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures. They will last until May 5 and are aimed at averting a stricter state of emergency.
