A countdown clock showing that there are 100 days left until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), is reflected in a pool in Tokyo, Japan, April 14, 2021. REUTERS / Issei Kato
Japan plans to expand quasi-emergency measures to 10 regions on Friday as a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases spreads, raising doubts as to whether the Summer Olympics can be held in Tokyo.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters that the government is considering adding Aichi, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba to six other prefectures already under command, including Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas. A final decision is expected on Friday afternoon.
Japan’s top health experts have acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a fourth wave.
Daily cases in Osaka hit a record 1,208 on Thursday, driven by a virulent British strain of the virus. The number of new infections in Tokyo has risen to 729, the highest number since early February, when most of the country was in a state of emergency.
A senior official from the ruling party said Thursday that canceling this year’s Olympics remains an option if the coronavirus situation becomes too dire. read more
A scaled down torch relay is already underway. Foreign fans have been banned from the Games and officials say domestic fans can also be kept out. read more
The quasi-state of emergency allows local governments to order bars and restaurants to shorten their opening hours and impose fines on those who fail to comply. A full state of emergency was declared twice in Japan during the course of the pandemic.
read more
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Principles of Trust.