TOKYO: The Japanese government lifted its COVID-19 pre-emergency designation for Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto prefectures at the end of Sunday, after improvements in the local infection situations.

The focus of attention now shifts to whether Tokyo, Osaka and eight other prefectures will pull out of the novel coronavirus state of emergency on June 20 as scheduled.

The government believes that conditions are being met for lifting the emergency in the eight areas other than Hokkaido and Okinawa, which both still see high levels of infection cases, according to officials.

With experts worried about a rebound in infection cases after the emergency is lifted, the government is looking at placing Tokyo and the seven prefectures in the pre-emergency stage for about a month after the end of the state of emergency, the officials said.

The pre-emergency designation allows prefectural governors to impose restrictions similar to those taken under a state of emergency in order to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

After the pre-emergency designation was removed for the three prefectures, the five prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu and Mie remain in the pre-emergency stage through June 20.

The government will also discuss whether the designation can be lifted as planned.

JIJI Press