Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said the Government is considering a new state of emergency as daily COVID-19 cases remain high with just 200 days to go until the opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Tokyo today reported 884 new COVID-19 cases, including a record 108 cases considered serious. According to The Japan Times, Suga is looking at placing Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama under higher restrictions after officials from these prefectures, including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, called for a state of emergency to be declared.
The 884 cases reported in Tokyo were the highest recorded on a Monday.
A total of 2,067 tests were conducted on Friday, according to a statement from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The total number of infections in the capital now stands at 63,474.
Japan has recorded more than 246,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of coronavirus countermeasures, said on Monday that the government would aim to make a decision “as soon as possible” after hearing what experts had to say.—APP
