Japan's State Of Emergency Extended Nationwide
The Japanese government has expanded the state of emergency for the coronavirus outbreak to the entire country. The measure will remain in effect through May 6.
The government's coronavirus taskforce met at the prime minister's office late on Thursday.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said the virus has been spreading in six prefectures; Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Gifu, Aichi, and Kyoto, to the same extent as in the seven prefectures where the state of emergency originally applied. The seven are Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka.
Abe said the number of infections had been growing not only in the 13 prefectures but also elsewhere. He said cluster infections have occurred in those areas as people moved to them from urban centers.
The prime minister said the government decided to expand the state of emergency nationwide to curb outbreaks in local areas and to minimize people's exodus, particularly during the upcoming holiday period that runs from late April through early May.
He asked prefectural authorities to strongly urge residents to refrain from any non-essential outings across prefectural borders to help contain the virus.
Abe also called on people to cut person-to-person daily contact by at least 70 percent, or preferably 80 percent, to allow the state of emergency to be lifted as currently scheduled.
The prime minister said the government had included in its economic package a cash handout of 300,000 yen, or roughly 2,800 dollars, per household for families whose income has fallen significantly.
But Abe said he now thinks the government should broaden the scope of people entitled to a cash handout.
He said he will ask the ruling parties to hold discussions to provide 100,000 yen to every person in the country in place of the 300,000 yen payment.
The prime minister explained this is because everyone in the country will be asked to live under various restrictions, such as avoiding non-essential outings.
