Japan Sees COVID-19 New Cases Back to 1,000s After Four Days

Possibility of 2-Week Extension of State of Emergency in Tokyo and 3 Other Metropolitan Areas Increases

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Japan has risen back to the 1,000 range.

According to NHK and other broadcasters, on the 3rd, the total number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan was 1,244 (as of 6:40 PM), including 316 cases in Tokyo. It is the first time in four days since the 27th of last month (1,214 cases) that daily cases have reached the 1,000 range. The cumulative number of confirmed cases has increased to 436,259. The number of deaths increased by 63 in one day, reaching 8,089.

Among the new cases on this day, 717 were reported in four metropolitan areas where the state of emergency for COVID-19 response has been extended until the 7th, including Tokyo, Kanagawa (139 cases), Saitama (98 cases), and Chiba (164 cases) prefectures.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed his intention to extend the state of emergency declared in the four metropolitan areas until the 7th by about two weeks. He stated, "To protect the lives and livelihoods of the people, I think it is necessary to extend the state of emergency in the metropolitan area by about two weeks."

The Japanese government plans to hold an expert meeting on the 5th to closely examine the infection situation and then decide on whether to extend the state of emergency in the metropolitan area at a task force meeting presided over by Prime Minister Suga.