Tokyo Reports 250 Cases On Thursday
The Tokyo Metropolitan government says it confirmed 250 new cases of the coronavirus in the capital on Thursday.
Officials say this is a preliminary figure as of 3 p.m.
It's the second straight day that more than 200 new infections have been reported in the Japanese capital.
The figure brings the total number of cases in Tokyo to 20,096.
Meanwhile, the government of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward has started classifying restaurants and bars in terms of their preventive measures against the coronavirus.
The ward provides two types of stickers, Class I or Class II, for businesses to display and lists their names on its website.
A checklist of basic items must be met to qualify for the Class I category. Class II requires additional anti-infection measures and an inspection.
On Thursday, officials visited an Italian restaurant that had applied for the top classification. They asked about cleaning and disinfection methods, using a list of more than 40 items. They also checked if the ventilation was satisfactory.
The staff were advised to stand to the side of customers when taking their orders.
The restaurant manager, Nakagawa Yumi, says she wasn't sure if their anti-infection procedures were sufficient, so she was relieved to be given the advice.
She also says she wants people to feel confident about dining in her restaurant when they see the sticker.
Health official Ichikawa Kensuke says he hopes the ward's new system will help restaurants and bars to continue taking preventive measures against the coronavirus.
