Japan Reports 1,083 New COVID-19 Cases... Will the State of Emergency Be Lifted Early?

On the 23rd, a pedestrian wearing a mask is passing by an electronic billboard in downtown Tokyo, Japan, announcing that the Olympic Games are 150 days away. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The Japanese government is considering lifting the state of emergency earlier than planned as the spread of COVID-19 within Japan slows down.

According to NHK on the 23rd, 1,083 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed as of 6:20 PM that day. The cumulative number of confirmed cases rose to 428,169, and the death toll increased by 54 to reach 7,603. This is a significant decrease compared to early last month when the daily new cases were approaching 8,000 at the time the state of emergency was reissued.

Kyoto News reported that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, considering this situation, is reviewing a plan to partially lift the state of emergency maintained in 10 prefectures nationwide, including Tokyo. The target areas include six regions: Osaka, Kyoto Prefecture, Aichi, Gifu, Fukuoka, and Hyogo Prefectures, with a plan to lift the state of emergency in these areas on the 28th. The early lifting of the state of emergency is expected to be officially decided after an advisory meeting composed of experts on the 26th.

However, in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, including Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, and Chiba Prefectures, where the rate of decrease in new cases has slowed again, an early lifting of the state of emergency seems difficult. Governors of the four prefectures, including Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, held a video conference on the 23rd and agreed not to request an early lifting of the state of emergency. Unless there are special changes, the state of emergency in these areas is expected to be lifted on the originally scheduled date of the 7th of next month.