Japan Government Holds Off on Tokyo’s State of Emergency Request Bloomberg 1/2/2021 Yuko Takeo and Yuki Furukawa
(Bloomberg) Japan’s central government held off from declaring a state of emergency in Tokyo and three adjacent prefectures, despite local authorities urging virus czar Yasutoshi Nishimura to do so to contain an outbreak that is showing little sign of abating.
The government will consult experts again before making a decision, Nishimura said at a press conference Saturday after a three-hour meeting with governors from Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.
“We agreed that the metropolitan area is in a situation severe enough to bring a state of emergency into sight,” Nishimura said. The request by the four governors will be studied, he said.
Japan’s central government held off from declaring a state of emergency in Tokyo and three adjacent prefectures, despite local authorities urging virus czar Yasutoshi Nishimura to do so to contain an outbreak that is showing little sign of abating.
Japan’s stance against declaring another state of emergency appears to be shifting, as coronavirus infections fueled by the onset of cold weather showed no signs of abating even after the country stepped up containment measures.