Japan to Extend State of Emergency by 3 Weeks to May 31

To combat a surge in novel coronavirus cases just months before the start of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan's government plans to extend a state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas by around three weeks until the end of May on Friday.

According to Japan's Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is also in charge of pandemic steps, the government had hoped that a "short and powerful" state of emergency would contain a fourth wave of infection, but new cases in Tokyo and Osaka prefecture are still at high levels.

Extending the state of emergency from May 11 to May 31 would leave less than two months before the Games, which were delayed a year due to the pandemic, begin on July 23.

"Osaka particularly is in quite a dangerous situation with its medical system," Nishimura said on Friday at the start of a meeting with a panel of medical and economic experts, noting that variant strains are spreading rapidly.

"We have a strong sense of danger that Tokyo could soon be turning into the same situation as Osaka."

According to Nishimura, the panel later approved the extension proposal. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will hold a press conference at 7 p.m. to announce the formal government approval (1000 GMT).

According to public broadcaster NHK, all hospital beds for critical patients in Osaka prefecture are complete, and Nishimura said the medical situation in neighbouring Hyogo prefecture, where the city of Kobe is located, is also dire.

In Tokyo, there were 907 new cases of novel coronavirus infection on Friday.

Nationwide, Japan has recorded 618,197 cases of infection and about 10,585 deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease the virus causes, government figures showed.