Four Locations Including Tokyo
17 Days Including 'Golden Week' Starting from the 25th of This Month
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] A third state of emergency to respond to COVID-19 will be declared in Japan's capital Tokyo and three major metropolitan areas in the Kansai region: Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, the Japanese government held a COVID-19 task force meeting chaired by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and decided to activate the state of emergency in these four regions. This is the first time a state of emergency has been enacted in Tokyo and other areas since it was lifted on the 22nd of last month, about a month ago.
The state of emergency will be in effect from the 25th of this month until the 11th of next month. However, as infections are increasing nationwide, there is a possibility that the scope of application will be expanded and the period extended, similar to the first and second states of emergency.
This is the third state of emergency declared in Japan due to COVID-19, following those in April last year and January this year. The first state of emergency was initially enacted on April 7 last year in seven metropolitan areas including Tokyo, then expanded nationwide, and lifted after 49 days. The second state of emergency, which began on January 8 this year in the Tokyo metropolitan area, expanded to 14 metropolitan areas and lasted up to 73 days in some regions.
The Japanese government decided to declare the state of emergency targeting regions where the spread of infection is particularly severe, coinciding with the holiday period starting on the 29th. Nishimura Yasutoshi, Minister for Economic Revitalization who oversees Japan's COVID-19 measures, explained the background for re-declaring the state of emergency, saying, "If we do not respond more strongly than before, we will not be able to suppress the highly infectious variant virus."
In the areas under the state of emergency, governors of the metropolitan governments can request or order shortened business hours (until 8 p.m.) or closure of multi-use establishments such as restaurants. Business owners who do not comply with the orders will be fined up to 300,000 yen. Especially, establishments that serve alcohol or have karaoke facilities must close, and large stores over 1,000 square meters such as department stores, shopping centers, large retail stores, and movie theaters will also close. However, places handling essential daily goods are excluded from closure.
Residents are advised to refrain from going out as much as possible, and measures to reduce office attendance by 70% through telecommuting will be implemented at workplaces. In principle, all professional sports games such as baseball and soccer will be held without spectators. Transportation operators such as railways and buses must implement measures to suppress population movement, such as advancing the last train and reducing weekend and holiday services.
Japan has entered the fourth wave of COVID-19 as new infections surge mainly in the Kansai region including Osaka, where highly infectious variant viruses have spread, and the Tokyo metropolitan area. On the 22nd, new confirmed cases reached 5,499, six times the 815 cases recorded on the 22nd of last month when the second state of emergency was lifted. The cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 553,000 the previous day, and the death toll reached 9,806.
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