News Desk
Japan will declare “short and powerful” states of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures, a cabinet minister said, as the country struggles to contain a resurgent pandemic just three months ahead of the Olympics, Reuters reports.
Under a new state of emergency for April 25 to May 11, the government will require restaurants, bars, and karaoke parlours serving alcohol to close, and big sporting events to be held without spectators, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said.
Breaching the restrictions will in some cases carry penalties under a recently revised law, he said.
