Tokyo residents had started to follow the recommendation of the authorities to avoid leaving homes even before a state of emergency was declared and their presence on the streets has diminished by 70-90 percent, media reported
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2020) Tokyo residents had started to follow the recommendation of the authorities to avoid leaving homes even before a state of emergency was declared and their presence on the streets has diminished by 70-90 percent, media reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared on Tuesday a one-month state of emergency in seven areas across the country due to the spreading of the coronavirus. The state of emergency will be in place in Tokyo, Osaka and five other Japanese prefectures: Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Hyogo and Fukuoka. The state of emergency does not specify any fines for violations.
The NHK broadcaster reported, citing tracking data from users' mobile phones, that even before the state of emergency was declared, the presence of Tokyo residents in areas with popular restaurants, night clubs and luxury boutiques had already decreased by up to 90 percent. The sharp decrease was registered during the last two weekends, especially from April 4-5, when the Tokyo mayor called on residents to avoid going out without urgent necessity.
Japan has so far registered 5,691 COVID-19 cases, including 1,270 recoveries and 116 fatalities.
