Japan to expand state of emergency to Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo after surge in COVID-19 cases
Jan 11, 2021
Tokyo [Japan], January 11 : Owing to a surge in coronavirus cases, the Japanese government on Monday started preparations to expand a state of emergency to three prefectures namely Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo.
The three prefectures on Saturday asked the central government to expand the state of emergency, already in place for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures, to include their region in an effort to contain the latest COVID-19 outbreak, the Japan Times reported.
Aichi and Gifu Prefecture in Japan will also make a request to the central government to expand a state of emergency.
According to the Japan times, Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Omura said that he plans to work with Gifu Prefecture to ask the central government to expand the emergency declaration to cover the two central prefectures.
Omura said that he will arrange an online conference with economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who oversees the government's coronavirus response.
Ahead of the meeting, Omura plans to hold an online meeting with his counterparts from neighbouring Gifu and Mie prefectures, the Japan Times reported.
In a recent move, the state of emergency currently covers Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa.
The total number of coronavirus cases reported in Japan is 291,764, while the death toll stands at 3,885, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
