State Of Emergency May Not Be Fully Lifted May 6
Japanese government officials increasingly share the opinion that it will be difficult to fully lift the state of emergency in early May. Medical experts say infections are not slowing as they expected.
The government declared the state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, and five other prefectures on April 7. It expanded the declaration nationwide on April 16.
Officials have been closely monitoring the situation across the country. They will decide whether to extend the state of emergency beyond May 6, after hearing experts' opinions about whether human interactions have been reduced by 80 percent, and what the situation is like at medical facilities.
Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi said in an NHK program that the government needs to make a decision well in advance so schools and companies can prepare. He spearheads the government's response to the coronavirus.
Experts say the number of daily infections confirmed in Tokyo and Osaka remain higher than they expected, although the figures have started decreasing.
