Japan is expected to extend a state of emergency on Tuesday to fight the spread of COVID-19 for Tokyo and other areas, three sources with knowledge of the legal procedures said on Monday. Last month the government declared a one-month state of emergency, due to end on Sunday, Feb. 7, for 11 areas, including Tokyo and its neighbouring prefectures, as part of measures to rein in the pandemic. Suga has launched a raft of measures to contain a third wave of infections as his government remains determined that the Olympics go ahead as planned on July 23.
Japan’s current measures including a request that people work from home are far less stringent and enforceable than the lockdowns of some European nations. But they have already caused a sea change in the view of economists. Instead of the year starting with a slowing recovery, some of them now see a double-digit contraction looming.
A Nikkei newspaper poll showed 90% of respondents favored extending the emergency period in areas where it is implemented. Japan has had a total of 390,687 coronavirus cases and 5,766 deaths as of Monday morning, public broadcaster NHK said. Japan’s current measures, which include urging people to work from home, are far less stringent and enforceable than the lockdowns of some European nations. But they have already caused a sea change, in the view of economists. Instead of the year starting with a slowing recovery, some of them now see a double-digit contraction looming. The government has said the emergency can end when the virus crisis eases to Stage 3 on a four-stage scale that draws on six data points.
