Three Japanese prefectures in Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo are expected to ask the central government to lift the state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic in western areas later this month, before the deadline on March 7, officials said on Monday.
City governors will hold an online meeting on Tuesday with economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is leading the country’s response to the pandemic.
The governor of another prefecture, Aichi, in central Japan, said he had already made a similar request to the central government.
The state of emergency, Japan’s second in the pandemic, was initially declared on January 7 for a month, covering 11 prefectures that also include Tokyo and its nearby prefectures. Subsequently, it was extended until March 7 for 10 of the prefectures.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is cautious about lifting the emergency declaration in the capital, which still has a “serious” infection.
Koike also said he plans to hold an online meeting on Tuesday with the governors of the three prefectures near Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.
Kyoto, Osaka and other prefectures that intend to suspend the emergency cited improvements in the number of hospital beds available for patients with COVID-19 and the slow rate of infections.
“New cases of infection remained at double-digit levels for days. (The state of emergency) is expected to be suspended later this month as we expect the number of hospitalized patients to fall further,” said Governor Aichi Hideaki Omura in a statement. Press conference.
Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said his prefecture would discuss coordinated anti-virus measures with neighboring Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures on Tuesday, before filling out its official applications. Gifu Prefecture, adjacent to Aichi, also suggested that it do the same.
Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki said that even if the state of emergency is lifted, the prefecture will continue to ask restaurants and bars to shorten business hours.
Japan has seen a decline in new daily coronavirus infections, but health ministry officials said last week that the reduction was not enough to ease concerns about pressure on the medical system.
Tokyo, which remains the hardest hit of Japan’s 47 prefectures, saw a decrease in new cases with 178 registered on Monday, the first time the count has dropped to less than 200 since November 24 last year.
The count raised the cumulative cases in the Japanese capital to 109,912.
The rate of infections in the elderly, considered to be at greatest risk for the development of severe symptoms, has been increasing, however, with daily deaths in the capital, often totaling double digits.
