"Despite State of Emergency Expansion"... Japan Reports Over 6,000 New COVID-19 Cases Daily

Cumulative Confirmed Cases 680,242, Cumulative Deaths 11,419

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] In Japan, the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to record over 6,000 daily even after the state of emergency was declared in some regions. With the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for the second half of this year, the Japanese government is intensifying its countermeasures daily, but there are criticisms that their effectiveness is limited.

According to NHK, on the 15th, the total number of new COVID-19 infections across Japan was 6,422 (as of 8 PM), including 772 cases in Tokyo. Except for Mondays, when the number of tests decreases and fewer cases are detected, the daily confirmed cases in Japan have exceeded 6,000 for eight consecutive days since the 7th.

The Japanese government is raising the level of countermeasures to suppress the spread of COVID-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games scheduled for July to September. On the 7th, the state of emergency period for Tokyo and other areas was extended until the end of this month. Nevertheless, the spread of variant viruses, which are the main source of infection, and the repeated declarations of states of emergency have loosened the atmosphere of refraining from going out, resulting in no decrease in new infections.

According to the infection status indicators announced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan on this day, the regions subject to the state of emergency due to explosive infection spread amount to 22 out of the 47 prefectures nationwide, about half. Among these, only nine regions have actually declared a state of emergency, leading to criticism that the Japanese government's response is not keeping pace with reality.

Kyodo News reported that experts are expressing a sense of crisis over the fact that three Kansai region areas, including Tokyo and Osaka, have been under a renewed state of emergency for three weeks but infections are hardly decreasing. In particular, pessimistic forecasts suggest that there is no prospect of improvement in the Kansai region, including Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo.

As of this day, the total cumulative confirmed cases in Japan have risen to 680,242, with 93 additional deaths bringing the total to 11,419. The number of severe patients receiving ventilators or intensive care reached 1,231, setting a new record high.