Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike mentioned that the metropolis meets the requirements for the declaration of a state of emergency to be withdrawn. The authorities are monitoring the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic with seven key indicators, such as the number of new cases and the proportion of positive cases. The Japanese government has set a maximum of 0.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week for the prefecture to be considered as safe cases.
Given the high possibility that the state of emergency in Tokyo would be withdrawn, the prefecture government established an action plan for the reactivation of the three-phase economy. In the first phase after the declaration is lifted, museums, sports facilities, schools and other similar establishments may reopen their doors, but will not be able to admit clients or visitors until the second phase. The government requested bars and restaurants to close before 20:00 during the state of emergency declaration, but once it is withdrawn they will be able to close before 22:00.
After the government determines that conditions are safe, cinemas and theaters, driving schools, meeting and exhibition halls, stores and other non-essential establishments may reopen their doors in the second phase. Subsequently, game rooms, amusement parks, cafeterias, shooting ranges, betting rooms and other similar facilities may reopen in the third phase. In addition, the government indicated that bars and restaurants may remain open until 00:00 during the third phase.
Regarding events, attendees will be limited to 50 in the first phase, 100 in the second phase and 1,000 in the third phase. The government specifically requested restaurants with entertainment (such as clubs), karaokes, gyms, and similar facilities where the risk of contagion is high, to remain closed in any of the three phases.
The Kanagawa and Hokkaido prefectures have not yet met the criteria to be considered in the removal of the state of emergency, and some neighboring prefectures of Tokyo such as Chiba and Saitama have already complied with it, so the Japanese government recently agreed to withdraw the declaration of a state of emergency in said prefectures.
© NHK
