TOKYO: Oriental Land Co. said Thursday that it will once again extend the closure of its Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea theme parks to mid-May after the Japanese government declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 epidemic.

A specific date for the reopening of the parks will be decided in mid-May, Oriental Land said. The company previously said it would reopen them as early as April 20.

Due to the extension, the unveiling of a new themed area inside Tokyo Disneyland will be pushed back to a date that will be decided on after the parks reopen, Oriental Land said.

Disney hotels, run by a subsidiary of the park operator, will also extend its closures.

Disneyland and DisneySea have been shut down since Feb. 29.

Meanwhile, movie theme park Universal Studios Japan in the western city of Osaka will also be closed until at least mid-May. The date of reopening has not yet been decided.

Jiji Press