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Here are Tokyo's Covid-19 quasi-state of emergency restrictions

Until Tuesday May 11, event attendance is capped and restaurants and bars must close early

Kaila Imada
Written by
Kaila Imada
Associate Editor, Time Out Tokyo
Shibuya Crossing
Photo: Meguraw645/Pixabay An undated stock photo of Shibuya Crossing
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The quasi-state of emergency has officially begun today (April 12) in Tokyo, Kyoto and parts of Okinawa prefecture. Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures have been under the quasi-emergency measures since April 5, as coronavirus cases around Japan continue to climb.

Under this new quasi-state of emergency, restrictions have been reintroduced to help curb the spread of coronavirus. As reported by Kyodo News, these measures currently include:

  • Restaurants and bars to close by 8pm in densely populated areas
  • Capping the attendance of large events at 5,000 people
  • According to The Mainichi, deputy governor Mitsuchika Tarao has called on people to avoid unnecessary travel

As of Monday April 12, teams of Tokyo government inspectors are patrolling restaurants around the city to make sure they are implementing adequate Covid-19 prevention measures.

These restrictions will remain in place until Tuesday May 11 for Tokyo, while the measures are set to run until Wednesday May 5 in Kyoto, Okinawa, Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures.

These measures include fines of up to ¥200,000 on businesses which refuse to shorten their trading hours. However, the fine is a lower sum than the one that can be levied under a full state of emergency.

The report also states that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has asked people to refrain from non-essential travel between prefectures, especially during the upcoming Golden Week holidays. 

The Japan Times reports that Tokyo's neighbouring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa, as well as Aichi prefecture (including the city of Nagoya), will go under the quasi-state of emergency from Tuesday April 20.

This report was originally published on April 12 and updated on April 16.

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