Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. said Tuesday it will restart operations at some 850 outlets in Japan which had been shut to prevent a further spread of the new coronavirus.

At Starbucks shops in eight of the country's 47 prefectures remaining subject to the Japanese government's coronavirus state of emergency, including Tokyo, only takeout services, including drive through, will be available for the time being.

In the other 39 prefectures, where the state of emergency was lifted last Thursday, customers will be allowed to eat and drink at Starbucks stores while following social distancing rules.

Of all 1,530 shops of the coffee chain in Japan, some 1,200 outlets, including those that had not been closed due to the virus crisis, will be open.

Preventive measures such as installing transparent shields to prevent droplet infection and placing floor stickers for customers to keep a distance from each other while standing in line to order will be implemented.

The company had suspended operations in 13 prefectures while offering only takeout services in the rest.

JIJI Press