Japan extends, expands state of emergency to six places till May 31 over COVID-19

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday the government is extending the state of emergency over COVID-19 in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto until the end of May, while expanding it to Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures.

The emergency state was initially set to be eased next Tuesday.

Under the more stringent restrictions in place since April 25, restaurants and bars have been urged not to serve alcohol and close by 8 pm local time.

The country's third state of emergency since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic covers an area accounting for one-third of its population and more than 40 percent of Japan's territory.

"Infections continue to increase at a high pace, especially in metropolitan areas," Suga said after formalizing the decision at a task force meeting.

"We will thoroughly implement measures that are expected to be highly effective," he said.

"We have a strong sense of crisis," Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of the government's COVID-19 response, said at a meeting with experts in infectious disease and other fields. "We will thoroughly curb infections and make sure the number of newly infected declines so that people feel safe," he said.

Under the extended state of emergency, restaurants and bars will continue to be prohibited from serving alcohol or offering karaoke services, and must close by 8 pm local time. Non-compliance will be fined for up to 300,000 yen (2,750 US dollars).

Meanwhile, businesses will continue to be encouraged to let their employees work from home.

However, the government will ease some measures to mitigate the damage to businesses. Large commercial facilities such as department stores and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen, but they will also be asked to stop operation by 8 pm local time.

In replacement of a ban on spectators at sports games and concerts, a cap of 5,000 people or 50 percent of the venue's capacity will be required, while events are required to end by 9 pm local time.