TOKYO: The Japanese government on Friday extended its state of emergency over the novel coronavirus for the Tokyo metropolitan area for two weeks until March 21.

The government sees a need to keep restrictions in place as the medical system remains under pressure in the Tokyo area where occupation rates of beds for COVID-19 patients stay high.

The emergency declaration for Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa was to expire Sunday.

In the Tokyo area, restaurants and bars will continue to be asked to close by 8 p.m.

Other restrictive measures, including a cap on the number of attendees for large evets to 5,000, or 50 pct of the venue capacity, will also remain in place.

Polymerase chain reaction, PCR, tests for people with no symptoms will start in an effort to detect signs of any spread of infection cases quickly.

The government will continue suspending its Go To Travel tourism support program across the country.

On Jan. 7, the government declared the state of emergency for the Tokyo area and later expanded it to include seven more prefectures.

On Feb. 2, the government extended the emergency for one month for 10 of the 11 prefectures. For six of the remaining prefectures, the emergency has already been lifted.

JIJI Press