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Japan Adds Hokkaido, Okayama, Hiroshima to State of Emergency
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The Japanese government plans to add Hokkaido, Okayama, and Hiroshima prefectures to the current new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) state of emergency, beginning on Sunday. The state of emergency now covers over 40% of the country's population. The Gifu prefectural government also plans to ask the central government to be added to the state of emergency.
In addition, the government will add Gunma, Ishikawa, and Kumamoto prefectures in its intensive measures or "quasi-state of emergency" category.
The Japanese government declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo prefectures on April 23, which was originally slated to lift on May 11. The state of emergency was intended to curb the amount of travel during the country's Golden Week holidays in early May.
The Japanese government then extended the state of emergency on May 7, and added Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures starting on Wednesday. The new state of emergency will last until May 31.
Under the current state of emergency, the government asked large department stores and shopping centers to close (except those offering daily essentials), and events to have no in-person audiences. Under the new extension, the government will ask large department stores and shopping centers to close by 8:00 p.m. instead of closing altogether, and events to have no more than 5,000 attendees and end by 9:00 p.m.
