NHK: Japan may not fully raise COVID-19 state of emergency on May 6 - News
The rate of new infections did not slow down than expected
NHK he reported Sunday that the Japanese government may not fully lift the nation state of emergency for new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on May 6 as expected. Medical experts noted that the rate of new infections did not slow down than expected. Economic revitalization minister Nishimura Yasutoshi added that the government must decide whether to lift the state of emergency well in advance on May 6, to allow schools and businesses to prepare. The government's COVID-19 expert task force will meet this week to advise the government on whether and how to lift the state of emergency.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has asked schools to remain closed on at least 8 May. May 6 marks the end of Japan's Golden Week holiday series in 2020, but May 7 and May 8 fall on Thursday and Friday this year. Aichi and Ibaraki prefectures plan to keep high schools closed (and require elementary and middle schools to follow suit) until the end of May.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka from April 7 for May 6. Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki asked the Japanese government on April 10 to add Kyoto to the state of emergency. The governor of Aichi Hideaki Ōmura alike asked the Japanese government on April 16 to add its prefecture to the list, and then independently declared a state of emergency on April 17. Hokkaido had revoked their three weeks state emergency on March 19, only a declare a second state of emergency on April 12th.
Abe then announced on April 16 that the national government is expanding the state of emergency nationwide until May 6. As required by the recently enacted law that allowed this statement, Abe met with the government's COVID-19 expert task force before formally announcing the expansion.
sources: NHK (connection 2), TBS
