TOKYO: The Japanese government plans to relax its guidelines for holding outdoor events such as concerts and other gatherings after completely lifting its state of emergency over the novel coronavirus epidemic on Monday, Jiji Press learned Sunday.

The easing of the guidelines will be included in the government's revised basic policy on virus response, informed sources said.

The guidelines currently call for an upper limit of 200 on the number of participants allowed in such outdoor events in areas where the emergency has been removed.

The planned revision will raise the limit in stages to around 1,000 people after a transitional period of two to three weeks, according to the sources.

The government also plans to ease the admission limits of 100 participants and half the seating capacity for indoor events, on condition that precautions such as weaning masks and disinfection are taken thoroughly.

Regarding sporting events, including professional baseball and soccer, the government plans to request that such events be held with no live audience in view of the risk of virus transmission by airborne droplet.

The government is looking at requesting amusement park operators to impose admission limits in order to avoid congestion.

The government will stop short of requesting cross-border travel by people in 39 prefectures for which the state of emergency was lifted on May 14, according to the sources.

But it plans to call on residents there to continue to exercise caution about traveling to Tokyo and four prefectures that formed the last group of areas under the state of emergency.

The government may ask individual tourist facilities to maintain entry restrictions if there is concern over concentration of people and another spread of infections.

The government plans to revise the basic policy on coronavirus response after lifting the state of emergency for Tokyo and the four prefectures on Monday, and publish notice to prefectural governments.

JIJI Press