Japan to lift all coronavirus emergency steps nationwide
Published:Tuesday | September 28, 2021 | 9:28 AM
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's government announced Tuesday that the coronavirus state of emergency will end this week to help rejuvenate the economy as infections slow.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the emergency will end Thursday and virus restrictions will be eased gradually “in order to resume daily lives despite the presence of the virus.”
He said the government will create more temporary COVID-19 treatment facilities and continue vaccinations to prepare for any future resurgence.
“Our fight against the coronavirus is now entering a new phase,” Suga said.
“Finally, we can see social and economic activities starting to normalise.”
Government officials are also instituting other plans such as vaccine passports and virus tests, Suga said.
With the lifting, Japan will be free of emergency requirements for the first time in more than six months.
Japan is eager to expand social and economic activities while balancing the need to prevent another wave of infections.
The government, which is in transition as the governing party chooses a replacement for Suga later this week, is under pressure to maintain an effective virus strategy ahead of parliamentary elections in two months.
Japan's current state of emergency, declared in April, was repeatedly extended and expanded.
Despite public weariness and frustration over the measures, Japan has managed to avoid the more restrictive lockdowns imposed elsewhere while recording about 1.69 million cases and 17,500 deaths from COVID-19.
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