TOKYO: The Japanese government lifted its COVID-19 pre-emergency measures in Niigata, Nagano, Fukushima and 10 other prefectures on Monday.

Restrictions are no longer imposed on operating hours at restaurants and bars and on the number of visitors to events. Curbs on club activities at schools will be eased in many regions.

In the 13 prefectures, also including Mie, Wakayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kochi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki and Kagoshima, the number of new infection cases has been on the fall and the burden on medical systems has been judged to be under control.

The number of prefectures on the pre-emergency list once hit 36 but is now reduced to 18.

As the pace of decline in the number of new infection cases has been slowing recently across the country, however, some local governments plan to implement infection control measures on their own even after the lifting of pre-emergency designations.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to extend its pre-emergency measures for Hokkaido, Tokyo, Hyogo and 15 other prefectures for around two weeks until March 21.

JIJI Press