Due to the significant drop in coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will downgrade the country’s state of emergency after it expires on Sunday. He will then implement new measures, which will be in place until July 11, just 12 days before the Tokyo Olympics begin.
What We Know:
- Restrictions will ease in Tokyo and six other areas. According to Suga, the relaxations will focus on early restaurant and bar closures and will allow certain places to serve alcohol during a specific timeframe. However, sporting event capacities will remain in place.
- In terms of the Games, Japanese citizens currently do not know if they can enter Olympic venues. Currently, medical experts approved of a plan to limit large events to only 10,000 or fewer spectators but did not mention if the Olympic Games apply to these rules. Japan will announce its decision by the end of June. Suga hinted that the government will permit their people to attend, stating that authorities will decide this in line with the new rules.
- Experts gave their approval on Thursday during a virus panel meeting. Recently, the number of Japan’s coronavirus cases plummeted from more than 7,000 to around 1,600 per day. This marks a drastic change since March when the country struggled to slow a wave of infections caused by more contagious strains. The new variants led to hospitals around the country, specifically Tokyo and Osaka, getting overflowed.
- The reduction in instances also derives from vaccinations. Currently, around 20 million people, or 16 percent of the population, received at least one dosage of the coronavirus vaccine. Additionally, Suga opened up mass inoculation centers and began permitting vaccinations at major companies. This is part of his goal to ensure one million people get vaccinated daily, especially before the July event.
- Despite lifting restrictions, Suga and other officials declared they would not hesitate to reinstate them if they see an upsurge. Health Minister Norihisa Tamura announced if cases go up during the Olympics, they will still issue another emergency declaration. Suga seconded this motion, citing the government will “quickly take action” if hospitals become overwhelmed again.
- Some authorities disagree with the Prime Minister’s actions. Dr. Shigeru Omi, head of a government COVID-19 panel, called it “abnormal” to hold Olympic games in the middle of a pandemic; furthermore, he said doing so would only increase contagion. Ryuji Wakita, the director-general of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said although more people are obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine, there are plenty of young people who still have not gotten vaccinated. As a result, infections among the younger generations could “quickly burden” hospitals.
Wakita suggests the government should prevent citizens from “roaming around” during the summer vacation and Olympics.
