TOKYO: The Japanese government will decide on a fresh state of emergency over the novel coronavirus in Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures at a meeting set for Thursday afternoon.

The state of emergency for Tokyo and the three prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa will be imposed between Friday and Feb. 7.

In the affected areas, restaurants and other establishments will be asked to shorten their business hours.

The government will make the decision at the meeting of its coronavirus response task force, headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, from 5:15 p.m. (8:15 a.m. GMT). Suga will hold a news conference from 6 p.m.

With the virus raging also outside the Tokyo metropolitan area, all eyes are on whether the “limited and focused” measures, as sought by Suga, will end in success.

The emergency will be declared under the special measures law to combat dangerous infectious diseases including the novel coronavirus.

The government held a meeting of an advisory committee Thursday morning to listen to what experts have to say on the matter.

In the afternoon, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who covers the special measures law, will notify the steering committees of both chambers of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, before the declaration is decided at the task force meeting.

At the subsequent news conference, Suga is expected to make explanations about the state of emergency and ask for the public’s cooperation.

He will also announce additional support measures for restaurants and other establishments that will meet the government’s request to close early.

At the time of the previous state of emergency between April and May last year, a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, cinemas, theaters and department stores, were asked to close temporarily or restrict the use of their facilities.

This time, only restaurants and other establishments considered to have high infection risk will be asked to cut down on their business hours.

The government may have to extend the state of emergency or expand its areas if the coronavirus situation fails to improve.

JIJI Press