Japan on Friday extended the state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for around three weeks, until June 20, since the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating less than two months after the opening of the Olympic Games.
The state of emergency in the capital and eight other prefectures was scheduled to end on May 31, but tensions in the medical system remain severe.
“The number of cases has dropped since the middle of the month, but the situation remains uncertain,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, announcing the decision.
The Japanese premier added that the number of new infections in Tokyo and Osaka remains high.
“In Osaka and Tokyo, the flow of people is beginning to increase, and there are fears that infections will increase,” said Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who also directs measures against the coronavirus in the country.
In Japan, which exceeds 738,500 accumulated infections and 12,800 deaths from COVID-19, between 6,000 and 4,000 daily infections have been registered since mid-May.
The government of Yoshihide Suga chose to maintain the restrictions in force in the main Japanese regions to try to contain the fourth wave of infections that persists in the country. He also promised to accelerate the rate of vaccination of the Japanese population.
The extension of the health emergency until June 20 takes place when there are 56 days left for the Games, an event surrounded by doubts and the growing rejection of the Japanese population, according to surveys.
Concern about the new variants of COVID-19 and the slowness of the vaccination campaign have prompted urgent calls from doctors, some high-level businessmen and hundreds of thousands of citizens for the Olympics to be canceled, which must begin on Monday. July 23th.
“I know there are many opinions about the Games. We take them very seriously and try to take measures,” Suga said when announcing the extension of the emergency at a press conference, where he also stated that the priority of his Executive is “to protect life. and the health of the Japanese. “
Suga also promised “efforts” to accelerate the rate of vaccination in the country, where so far only 6% of the population has been inoculated with at least one dose due to drug supply problems, shortage of medical personnel and other difficulties. .
Its Executive has set the goal of vaccinating up to one million people per day by mid-June and of completing the vaccination of its entire population over 65 by the end of July, coinciding with the start of the Games.
The Japanese authorities, the organizers of the Games and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have affirmed that the sporting event will continue under strict preventive measures.
John Coates, a senior IOC official overseeing preparations, said last week that the Games would be held regardless of whether Tokyo is in a state of emergency at the time of the appointment.
The president of the Tokyo Organizing Committee, Seiko Hashimoto, told a press conference that she had received commitments from India – which is now fighting a second deadly wave of COVID-19 – and from five other countries to vaccinate all its Olympic delegates as measure against a new variant that has emerged in India.
IOC President Thomas Bach has said that 80% of the 10,500 athletes expected in Japan will be immunized and on Thursday urged athletes to get vaccinated if they can.
Delegates will also have to undergo tests before and after their arrival.
With information from AFP, EFE and Reuters
