Japanese Government Advisory Panel Decides to Lift Emergency in Capital Region Starting from the 21st

State of Emergency Lifted After Two and a Half Months
With the Olympics Approaching... Concerns Over Further Spread

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Japan's government advisory panel on COVID-19 has decided to lift the state of emergency currently in effect in four metropolitan areas, including Tokyo. As a result, Japan's COVID-19 state of emergency is expected to be fully lifted from the 21st, just two and a half months after it was declared. Concerns have been raised that a premature lifting of the state of emergency, with the Tokyo Olympics approaching, could lead to a larger surge in infections.

According to foreign media such as NHK, on the 18th, Japan's COVID-19 advisory panel decided to fully lift the state of emergency currently in place across the metropolitan area consisting of Tokyo Metropolis, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba Prefectures starting from the 21st. The government is expected to officially announce the lifting of the state of emergency later that afternoon. This means the COVID-19 state of emergency that has been ongoing in the Tokyo metropolitan area for the past two and a half months is expected to be completely lifted.

The state of emergency declaration for the Tokyo metropolitan area was initially issued on January 8th for a one-month period but was extended twice due to a sharp increase in new cases and has continued until now. The advisory panel explained that the decision to lift the emergency was based on the decreasing trend in hospital bed occupancy rates in the four metropolitan areas under the state of emergency and the nationwide daily new cases in Japan stabilizing at around 400, indicating a stable phase.

However, Kanagawa Prefecture announced that even after the state of emergency is lifted, it will continue to restrict restaurant operating hours until 9 p.m. through the end of this month. This is interpreted as a precaution due to concerns that the sudden lifting of the state of emergency ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July could again lead to a large-scale spread of infections.

At a press conference on the same day, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, said, "Even after the state of emergency is lifted, we ask that masks be worn during conversations in restaurants and that basic infection prevention measures be thoroughly observed," adding, "We will continue to coordinate efforts with the metropolitan area consisting of one metropolis and three prefectures."

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