Virus Emergencies For Japan, Three Months Before Olympics

Tokyo, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Apr, 2021 ) :Japan's government is to impose a state of emergency over the coronavirus in Tokyo and three other regions on Friday, exactly three months before the Olympic opening ceremony, as it battles a surge in infections.

The country's virus outbreak remains much smaller than in many countries, but the comparatively sharp uptick in cases has officials and medical professionals worried, even as the government and Olympic organisers insist this summer's Games will go ahead.

"We have a strong sense of crisis," Japan's minister for virus response Yasutoshi Nishimura said.

"We won't be able to contain the mutated variants that have powerful infectious capabilities unless we take stronger measures than what we've taken so far," he added.

The measures will be stricter than Japan's last state of emergency, imposed in parts of the country from January, but still far short of the harsh lockdowns seen in some parts of the world.

Authorities are expected to ask businesses serving alcohol to shut or stop serving between April 25 and May 11, and also shutter major commercial facilities such as shopping malls.

The official declaration expected Friday evening will cover Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo regions initially.

Previous emergencies have been expanded to other areas after being announced, and experts say the measures may be extended if the spread of the virus continues.

"We will take strong, brief and focused emergency measures," said top government spokesman Katsunobu Kato, calling restaurants "key points of infection".

Local media said the measure, which will coincide with the Golden Week holiday that is Japan's busiest travel period of the year, could involve cutting some train and bus services to discourage movement.

Spectators are also likely to be barred from sports events, though they can continue behind closed doors.

Although the measures are expected to begin Sunday, Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike urged residents to start taking precautions immediately, including avoiding drinking in the street after bars and restaurants close early.

She even urged businesses to turn their lights off in the evenings to encourage people to stay away.

"After 8:00pm, we ask that bright signage on streets, neon signs and illumination be turned off," she said.

"It will be dark at night, with only street lights on," she added, to "curb the flow of people." Japan has had some success containing the coronavirus, with fewer than 10,000 deaths despite never imposing strict lockdown measures.

But cases surged over winter and have rebounded since the previous state of emergency was lifted in March.

Tokyo on Friday logged 759 cases, while Osaka recorded 1,162 new infections, slightly down on record numbers earlier in the week.

Authorities in Osaka have said health facilities there are already overwhelmed and beds for seriously ill patients are running short.

Japan's vaccine programme is moving slowly meanwhile, with just over 1.5 million people given a first shot and only around 827,000 fully vaccinated.

Only the Pfizer vaccine has so far been approved, and approvals for the Moderna and AstraZeneca formulas are not expected before May at the earliest.

Taro Kono, the minister in charge of Japan's vaccine rollout, said requests from local authorities for vaccine doses from May 10 had exceeded planned supply.

"I am sorry. There has been an overflow" of demand, he said Thursday, adding that a higher-than-expected uptake could result in swift vaccination of Japan's elderly.