Major department stores in Tokyo reopened on Tuesday after the Japanese government fully lifted the coronavirus state of emergency on May 25. 

Stores that resumed full operations for the first time in roughly one and a half months include Odakyu Department Store Co.'s Shinjuku store, the Daimaru Tokyo store and the Matsuzakaya Ueno store. These outlets only had their food products areas operational through the state of emergency from April 7.

At Odakyu's Shinjuku store, where a thermographic camera was installed at the main entrance, many customers wearing face masks lined up to wait for the store to open at 10:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. GMT).

Once the store opened, shoppers visited the cosmetics and clothing sections in addition to the foods area.

"I came to buy a belated Mothers Day present," a Tokyo resident in her 60s said, excited that the store reopened. "I was finally able to come so I am happy."

Department store operators Takashimaya Co. and Sogo & Seibu Co. have already reopened their flagship stores in Japan's capital without waiting for the state of emergency to be lifted. On the other hand, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. is not slated to reopen until Saturday.

Each store is taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus, such as thoroughly disinfecting the sales areas, restricting the number of customers that can enter at once and shortening their operating hours. It is expected to take time before the number of customers and the amount of sales return to levels before the coronavirus outbreak.

JIJI Press