Japan Mulls Extending State Of Emergency
Japanese officials are debating whether to extend the current coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 9 other prefectures. It's due to end on Sunday, but officials want to make a decision a few days earlier to give people time to prepare.
New infections in the prefectures under a state of emergency are on the decline, but the pace has slowed in some of them.
In Okinawa, the occupancy rate of hospital beds for coronavirus patients remains at around 90 percent.
Officials there are considering asking the central government to extend the emergency declaration for the prefecture.
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said, "We'll analyze the situation in each area, hear experts' views and make a decision by the end of the week."
To contain the spread of infection, the government is pressing ahead with its vaccination rollout.
Upon receiving a voucher from the municipality, people between 18 and 64 years old will be able to get a jab at large-scale vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka from Thursday. So far only seniors have been eligible.
Companies and universities are lending a hand. Major trading house Itochu plans to give shots to 7,500 people -- mainly its employees. The company's chairman welcomed the arrival of the vaccines.
Itochu Chairman Okafuji Masahiro said, "We all have been looking forward to this day."
The government says more than 11 million people are expected to receive vaccines at offices and campuses.
Health authorities across the country confirmed more than 1,400 new infections on Tuesday. Nearly 340 of them were in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Japan will provide Vietnam with about 1 million doses on Wednesday.
The government also plans to give vaccines to Indonesia and three other Southeast Asian countries early next month.
Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu said, "They are extremely important nations in our efforts to achieve a Free and Open Indo-Pacific."
Japan has already sent more than 1 million doses of vaccines to Taiwan.