Japan Declares Expanded COVID-19 State of Emergency Amid Tokyo Olympics

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] In Japan, where the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing, the state of emergency to curb the explosive spread of COVID-19 has been expanded again to areas outside Tokyo.

On the 30th, the Japanese government held a COVID-19 task force meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and decided to declare a state of emergency in three metropolitan prefectures including Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, where new infections are rapidly increasing, as well as four other major regions including Osaka Prefecture.

The state of emergency in Japan is the highest-level quarantine measure issued by the Prime Minister under a special law as a means to suppress the spread of infectious diseases.

In the areas where it is in effect, the heads of the respective local governments implement various quarantine measures such as requests to refrain from going out, shortening business hours or requesting/ordering closures of restaurants, and restrictions on alcohol sales. Businesses that comply receive compensation for closure.

Additionally, new focused measures will be applied to five other regions including Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. The period for the state of emergency and focused measures in these areas will be from August 2 to 31.

Accordingly, following the opening ceremony held on the 23rd, the Paralympics starting on August 24 will also be held under the state of emergency.

The Japanese government has significantly expanded the areas under the state of emergency centered on the metropolitan area and extended the duration because new infections mediated by the more contagious Delta variant have surged since the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

On the 29th, the seventh day since the Tokyo Olympics opening, the total number of new infections in Japan exceeded 10,000 for the first time in a day, with 3,865 cases in Tokyo included, totaling 10,699 nationwide.