Japan To End State Of Emergency On Sunday
The Japanese government has decided to end a COVID-19 state of emergency for the Tokyo area as scheduled on Sunday. It began in January and was extended twice.
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said, "The number of people who tested positive in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures was 4,277 on January 7. It was 725 on Wednesday. That's more than an 80 percent decrease. We've carefully examined the situation, including how the healthcare system is strained, and concluded that it meets the criterion for ending the state of emergency. Therefore, today we decided the declaration will be lifted."
Suga said the government will continue to reinforce the medical system while rolling out vaccinations to prevent people from being infected or getting seriously ill.
With the decision, the government is changing its basic policy to tackle the virus. It aims to maintain social and economic activities, while trying to prevent another rapid rise in infections.
Monitoring of coronavirus variants will be stepped up nationwide. Sample screening for mutations will be expanded from the current 5 to 10 percent of new cases to around 40 percent.
To detect any signs of increase in infections, extensive virus tests will be conducted at elderly care homes and in entertainment districts.
The public will continue to be asked to refrain from non-essential outings, both during the day and at night.
Prefectural governors will monitor local infection trends and request shorter business hours at bars and restaurants.
Restrictions on the number of spectators at large events will be eased in stages.
Officials say the state of emergency has helped ease the strain on the healthcare system. But some experts are concerned that the number of new cases has stopped declining or in some areas is slowly increasing.
Experts monitoring the situation in Tokyo are warning of another wave of infection due partly to variants.
Director Ohmagari Norio of Disease Control and Prevention Center said, "If the flow of people increases in annual events like cherry blossom viewing, farewell and welcome parties, and graduation trips, I'm concerned that could lead to a rapid spread of infections which could exceed the New Year period."
Across Japan about 1,500 new infections were reported on Thursday. About half of them were in the Tokyo area.