Japan's Daily New COVID-19 Cases Near 5,000, Setting Another Record...

More than Half Concentrated in the Capital Area... Review of Emergency State Reissuance Underway

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is holding a New Year's press conference at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo on the 4th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] Japan's daily new cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) approached 5,000, setting a new record high.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, as of 6:30 PM on the 5th, the total number of new COVID-19 infections nationwide was counted at 4,883. This surpassed the previous highest record of 4,520 cases on December 31 last year, just five days ago.

As a result, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Japan reached 254,124. The death toll increased by 48 to 3,741. The number of severe cases also set a record with 771 patients, 40 more than the previous count on the same day.

By region, Tokyo had the highest number with 1,278 cases, followed by Kanagawa Prefecture with 622, Saitama Prefecture with 369, and Chiba Prefecture with 261. The metropolitan area consisting of 1 prefecture and 3 prefectures accounted for more than half of the nationwide confirmed cases.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced at the Liberal Democratic Party executive meeting that a decision on whether to reissue a state of emergency for the metropolitan area of 1 prefecture and 3 prefectures would be made on the 7th. Previously, the Japanese government had declared a state of emergency in April and May last year.

The governors of Tokyo and the metropolitan area of 1 prefecture and 3 prefectures plan to request residents to refrain from unnecessary outings after 8 PM and to suspend operations of restaurants selling alcoholic beverages from the 8th until the end of this month.

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