Central Japan region put under virus emergency
TOKYO: A governor in central Japan announced a state of emergency Thursday because of rising virus cases and asked businesses and people to curb activities, especially during an upcoming holiday.
Aichi prefecture has been seeing more than 100 new infections a day since mid-July after an extended period with zero new cases. The prefecture includes Nagoya and the headquarters of Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s top automaker.
Gov. Hideaki Ohmura said businesses are being asked to close altogether or close early, and people are requested to stay home at night to prevent infections from spreading.
The requests continue through Aug. 24, a period that includes Japan’s Obon holidays.
“The situation we are in is very serious,” Ohmura said.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike also asked people to not travel outside the capital during the Obon holidays, when Japanese families customarily visit their parents in their hometowns.
“Please protect your family,” she said. “This summer is special. Please do not go on trips this summer.”
Tokyo stopped short of declaring an emergency, but Koike said the city is ready to do so, if needed.
Japan has not had a lockdown. Voluntary emergency measures were put in place in April but were gradually lifted.
Last week, the southwestern island prefecture of Okinawa also declared its own local emergency.
Japan has more than 43,400 cases and about 1,000 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. AP
Source: TheManila Times
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