Japan planning to extend COVID-19 state of emergency

[YoshidaYui]

The central government plans to extend the coronavirus state of emergency in nine prefectures including Tokyo, which is currently set to run through May 31, sources said Monday.

The move would come as a number of prefectures continue to see increasing numbers of new coronavirus cases, heaping pressure on the country’s medical system, the sources said.

As a result, a growing number of government officials now believe it is necessary to maintain stringent measures by continuing the state of emergency, one senior official noted.

Leading virus experts have also underscored the explosive growth of more contagious coronavirus variants.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a liaison meeting with the ruling coalition Monday that a final decision will be made by Saturday on whether to extend the emergency in the capital and the other eight prefectures of Hokkaido, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/05/24/national/japan-emergency-coronavirus-extension-2/

[dawg day]

1. Olympics?

Another postpone?

[Greybnk48]

2. They had better NOT be embarrassed to postpone for this!

That's the idiotic reason the Challenger blew up. Afraid of the heat from a postponement.

They can postpone 50 times if it keeps us all safe.

[bahboo]

3. postpone the damn Olympics please....

jesus...

[FBaggins]

4. For some reason, they're way behind on vaccinations

Not just behind the US, but barely half of the global average rate at ~5%

[dalton99a]

5. Buy the damn vaccines. They are safe. WTF