A buyer uses a hand sanitizing station at the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo on December 30.
Photographer: Noriko Hayashi / Bloomberg
Photographer: Noriko Hayashi / Bloomberg
Japan’s central government has avoided declaring a state of emergency in Tokyo and three adjacent prefectures, despite local authorities asking virus secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura to do so to contain an outbreak that shows little sign of abating.
The government will consult with experts again before making a decision, Nishimura said at a news conference on Saturday after a three-hour meeting with Tokyo governors and neighboring city governments.
“We agree that the metropolitan area is in a serious enough situation to bring a state of emergency into view,” said Nishimura. The four governors’ request will be studied, he said.
Nishimura said the central government will ask the four city governments to ask restaurants and bars to stop serving alcoholic drinks at 7 pm and to close at 8 pm. will support stores that meet the request, he said.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Kanagawa Governors Chiba and Saitama placed the order directly with Nishimura on Saturday in the cabinet’s office amid renewed records of coronavirus cases. Together, the four municipalities account for more than a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product.
“Our response measures had some impact,” said Koike, speaking to reporters at the same press conference. “But looking at the number of infections and the state of the health system in our four municipalities, there is an immediate need to suppress people’s movements.”
The capital of Japan reported a record 1,337 new cases of coronavirus on New Year’s Eve, as the onset of cold weather fueled infections even after the city stepped up its containment efforts. On Saturday, the number of serious cases increased to the highest since May 3.
Japan’s stance against the emergency appears to change as cases increase
Japan briefly enacted a state of emergency during April and May in response to the initial wave of coronavirus cases. Earlier this week, Nishimura said the country could consider an emergency if infections continue at the current rate. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga ignored direct questions on the matter Thursday night in remarks to reporters.
An emergency declaration allows local authorities to take measures such as ordering the cancellation of events, restricting the use of facilities such as schools and cinemas and appropriating land or buildings for temporary medical facilities.
Due to the civil liberties enshrined in Japan’s postwar constitution, the government cannot send the police to take people off the streets, as has happened in places like France, Italy and the United Kingdom
It lacks the legal means to enforce a European-style blockade and its ability to stem the spread of the virus without one is now being questioned. In addition, the authorities have avoided strong restrictions when trying to put the country’s pandemic economy back on track.
Emergence of viruses in Japan relies on citizens to arrest themselves
The impact of any emergency declaration, however, is likely to be more of a psychological movement. Tokyo had already asked restaurants to close at 10 pm, and the metropolitan government had been asking people to stay home with their families during the New Year holidays.
The government is considering changes to a virus management law to give more power to containment measures. This amendment would allow Japan to penalize bars and restaurants that fail to comply with instructions to close earlier. The change would need to be approved by parliament, which will not start until the end of this month.
– With the help of Sophie Jackman, Max Zimmerman and Kana Nishizawa