Government Mulls Ending State Of Emergency
The Japanese government will review if there are any areas where the state of emergency can be lifted before it expires on March 7.
As the revised coronavirus special measures law will take effect on Saturday, the government is preparing to consult with experts on how to reflect the revision in guidelines on reducing infection risks.
The meeting is expected to take place around Friday.
The revised law allows a phased easing of measures, even if a state of emergency is not in place.
With the number of new cases is on the decline in some areas, the government hopes to see if there are any prefectures where the state of emergency can be lifted.
It was extended to March 7 in 10 prefectures, including Tokyo.
Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi indicated that if a request is made to the central government to end the state of emergency, he would also request a phased easing of measures.
Many governors at the National Governors' Association meeting on Saturday wanted the central government to set criteria for applying the phased measures.
The government will continue to analyze the status of medical care systems in 10 prefectures, even after the state of emergency ends, in case there is a surge in the spread of the virus. It is considering a phased easing of measures.