Tokyo Authorities May Request State Of Emergency Over COVID-19 This Week - Reports

Tokyo Authorities May Request State of Emergency Over COVID-19 This Week - Reports

The authorities of the Tokyo metropolitan area plan to request the central government impose a state of emergency later this week over an increase in cases of coronavirus, Kyodo news agency reported on Monday, citing sources

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2021) The authorities of the Tokyo metropolitan area plan to request the central government impose a state of emergency later this week over an increase in cases of coronavirus, Kyodo news agency reported on Monday, citing sources.

Earlier in the day, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said that his prefecture was expected to file a state of emergency request with the central government on Tuesday. Osaka has been facing a significant increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. The Japanese prefectures of Kyoto and Hyogo may join Osaka in filing such a request.

Earlier this month, several prefectures, including Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa, tightened the restrictive measures to stem the spread of the disease.

In January, the Japanese government imposed a state of emergency in 11 prefectures Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi, Aichi, Gifu, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Hyogo which was then extended until March 7 for all prefectures except Tochigi. With the epidemiological situation improving, the central government lifted the state of emergency in six prefectures in late February, but kept it in place in Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba until March 21.