Tokyo's governor says the city remains at a critical phase in its battle to prevent an explosive rise in coronavirus infections, and that the situation is getting more serious.

Koike Yuriko gave the assessment at a news conference on Friday. She said people should avoid closed, crowded places and close-contact settings.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has outlined the steps the city's government would take if the prime minister declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.

Koike said in a briefing on Friday that she will likely ask residents to stay at home, and request public facilities and event organizers to suspend the use of venues. She said specific requests would be decided after the central government issues relevant guidelines.

The governor of Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, is calling on people to avoid nightclubs and other spots that operate during nighttime hours as a precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Yoshimura Hirofumi made the remarks to reporters on Tuesday saying that the virus could spread in entertainment establishments that operate from night until early morning.

As the coronavirus continues to spread, the governor of Saitama Prefecture has called on people to avoid going to Tokyo for non-essential purposes.

At a press conference on Sunday, Motohiro Ono said he is concerned about a further increase in the number of infections.

The governor of Tokyo has again urged people to refrain from non-essential outings, warning that the capital is at a critical juncture in preventing an explosive spread of the coronavirus.

Yuriko Koike made the appeal as she reported 40 new cases in Tokyo on Friday. The Japanese capital has seen 40 or more new patients for three straight days.

Tokyo's governor is urging residents to stay home this weekend unless they absolutely must go out. The call comes after officials confirmed more than 40 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday ... the largest one-day spike the city has seen so far.

Yuriko Koike told reporters on Wednesday, "We are now at a critical juncture. We want Tokyo residents to realize this and do their work at home as much as possible on weekdays ... though we understand that may not be possible depending on your line of work. We want people to refrain from going out at night. We also want residents to refrain from going out this weekend, unless it is urgent."

Tokyo governor is calling on residents in the city to stay home this coming weekend unless they absolutely need to go out.

It comes after officials confirmed more than 40 more cases of infection with the new coronavirus on Wednesday, the largest one-day spike the city has seen so far.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike will soon hold a news conference to call on residents to refrain from non-essential outing this weekend to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.

The governor of Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido has declared the spread of the virus in his prefecture an emergency, calling on residents to stay home this weekend and only go out if necessary.

Naomichi Suzuki said, " I believe that, if nothing is done, the coronavirus infection would spread rapidly. In order to bring an end to this issue as soon as possible, and to protect the lives and health of the residents and minimize the impact on the livelihood, I believe that this is the crucial moment. We must take unprecedented measures in order to curb the situation."