Japan Reports Over 3,000 New COVID-19 Cases for 5 Consecutive Days

Cumulative Confirmed Cases Reach 240,000, Deaths 3,585
Tokyo Governor and 3 Other Metropolitan Leaders Request Reissuance of State of Emergency

[Asia Economy International Department Reporter] The number of new COVID-19 cases in Japan has exceeded 3,000 for five consecutive days.

According to a report by the local public broadcaster NHK on the 3rd, 3,059 new COVID-19 cases were identified in Japan the previous day.

As a result, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Japan rose to 242,768. The death toll increased by 31 to reach 3,585.

This is the first time since the spread of COVID-19 in Japan that the daily number of new cases has exceeded 3,000 for five consecutive days.

As the infection spread worsened, Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, along with the governors of Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama prefectures?four metropolitan local governments in the capital region?met with Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, on the 2nd to request consideration of reissuing a state of emergency.

Minister Nishimura said he would consider re-declaring a state of emergency but asked Governor Koike and others to immediately take action to shorten business hours by moving the closing time of restaurants from the current 10 p.m. to 8 p.m., expand telework in companies, and tighten conditions for holding various events.

Despite the serious infection situation, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga refrained from taking strong measures due to concerns about economic downturn, prompting Governor Koike and others to publicly pressure the government. The Japanese government responded by suggesting that local governments first implement possible measures such as requesting shortened business hours.

The Japanese government is expected to decide on whether to reissue the state of emergency after consulting experts and others.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.