The Japanese capital city set to end the state of emergency. That measure has been in place in the city since April 7, however, the current epidemiological situation looks quite good to allow people to back to the normal life.
Japan is set to remove a COVID state of emergency from Tokyo and four other prefectures on Monday, allowing businesses to gradually restart.
On Monday, Yasutoshi Nishimura, economy minister, asked experts on a government-commissioned panel to evaluate a plan to lift the restrictions.
“It appears the measure is no longer needed in all of the prefectures,” Mr Nishimura said during a special task force meeting.
The experts are expected to approve the plan at the meeting, paving the way for an official announcement by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Mr Abe declared the state of emergency on April 7, first in parts of Japan including Tokyo, before expanding it to the entire nation later in the month and extended it until the end of May.
Japan’s state of emergency is soft in comparison with EU’s one
The economy minister Nishimura reiterated on Monday that recent data suggested that the infections have slowed enough and the medical systems are under less pressure and that it is time to gradually resume social and economic activity.
Unlike an EU-style hard lockdown, Japan’s state of emergency is soft and largely a request for people to stay at home and for non-essential businesses to close or operate shorter hours, a strategy aimed at minimizing the economic damage.
Over the past week, more people have returned to work, shopping and other places under “new lifestyles” of anti-COVID measures and physical distancing.
Japan has 16,580 confirmed cases and 830 deaths, according to the health ministry’s recent figures.
