Japan Ends COVID-19 Quasi-emergency in All 18 Prefectures Covered
A COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency ended Tuesday in all 18 prefectures covered, including Tokyo and Osaka, amid a decreasing trend in the number of new infections.
It is the first time since Jan. 8 that the country has no emergency measures in place. But concerns remain that coronavirus cases could rise again driven by the highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2, with movements of people expected to increase significantly as the business and the academic year ends in the coming days.
The government formally decided on Thursday to lift the quasi-emergency based on new criteria, including allowing it to end if the strain on the health care system is expected to ease despite infection numbers staying at high levels.
In some regions, the occupancy rate of designated hospital beds was above 50 percent as of Friday, according to the health ministry, indicating a continuing burden on the health care system.
Since the beginning of this year, the quasi-state of emergency, which allowed governors to request restaurants and bars to close early and stop serving alcohol, had been in place in as many as 36 of the nation’s 47 prefectures.
The 18 prefectures where the quasi-emergency was lifted include Hokkaido, Kanagawa, Aichi, Kyoto, Kagawa, and Kumamoto. They had all seen the measures extended twice before.
A quasi-emergency is more limited in terms of coverage and restrictions than a full state of emergency.
