On Friday morning May 14, Japan’s central government announced the inclusion of Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures in the current Covid-19 state of emergency, which already covers Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures (Hyogo, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Aichi). According to Sankei News, the three prefectures will join the state of emergency from May 16 to May 31.
Also from May 16, the prefectures of Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto will enter a quasi-state of emergency, allowing for more targeted measures and currently planned to run until June 13.
According to The Japan Times, the government initially intended to place Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures under the quasi-emergency. However, after increasing coronavirus case numbers in both prefectures and in Hokkaido – the island prefecture hit a record on May 13 with 712 new coronavirus cases – the government decided to add all three to the full state of emergency.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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