Abe eases emergency in Japan
Print Edition
JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a state of emergency in large parts of the country yesterday but said it would remain in place for top cities Tokyo and Osaka until the novel coronavirus is contained.
After fears the virus could explode in Japan, new infections have come down sharply, enabling the government to end the measure in 39 out of 47 prefectures before it was due to expire on May 31. New cases are however still emerging daily in Tokyo, Osaka and the northern island of Hokkaido.
“If possible, before May 31, we would like to lift the state of emergency for the other regions as well,” Abe said.
Abe said he would begin work on a second extra budget and as part of the economic stimulus, the government would take more steps to ease corporate funding strains, if needed.
“While controlling the spread of the virus as much as possible by acting on the premise that the virus is all around us, we will restore ordinary work and daily life,” Abe said.
The world’s third-largest economy declared the nationwide state of emergency a month ago, urging citizens to reduce person-to-person contact by 80 percent to slow the spread of the virus and ease pressure on medical services.
The emergency gives governors more authority to tell people to stay at home and to close schools and businesses, but there is no penalty for non-compliance.
Some non-essential businesses, even in areas hit hard by the coronavirus, have started to reopen, even before yesterday’s announcement, and the scope of restrictions has varied across the country.
Osaka’s governor has announced criteria for gradually lifting some restraints on businesses including eateries and bars.
The 39 prefectures in which the emergency has been lifted account for 54 percent of Japan’s population but the greater Tokyo area accounts for a third of the economy.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
