Prime Minister Suga announced on Thursday that Tokyo will enter its fourth Covid-19 state of emergency on Monday July 12, Kyodo News reports. The restrictions are set to last until August 22 – two weeks after the end of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The decision comes after a recent spike of infections in the capital, where 920 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on July 7. The Prime Minister added that alongside tightened restrictions in Tokyo, Okinawa’s current state of emergency will be extended to last until August 22 as well.
Under this new state of emergency, restaurants and bars will be asked to refrain from serving alcohol, though large-scale facilities including department stores and cinemas will be allowed to continue running on shortened business hours. It is expected that non-essential businesses including retail stores will be asked to close by 7pm while restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 8pm.
In addition to the state of emergency in Tokyo and Okinawa, Kyodo News reports that quasi-emergency restrictions in Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa and Osaka, prefectures which are deemed to be at high risk, will be extended until August 22. Meanwhile, the quasi-state of emergency in Hokkaido, Aichi, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka will expire on July 11.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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