Tokyo, 3 other governors call for emergency over COVID-19

Thailand eyes tougher measures on businesses and people’s movements in 28 provinces; South Korea extends stringent distancing rules for two more weeks

TOKYO

Tokyo’s Governor Yuriko Koike on Saturday asked Japan’s central government to declare a new state of emergency as the country battles a third wave of the coronavirus, with record numbers of new cases.

Koike was joined by the governors of three neighbouring regions, Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono, Chiba Governor Kensaku Morita, and Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa.

They called for the measure to be imposed in their areas during a meeting with Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of the coronavirus response.

Japanese officials have in recent weeks asked restaurants and businesses to close early and urged people to stay at home, measures that Koike said were having “some effect.” “But considering the number of cases and the situation of the medical system in Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures, we decided it was necessary to immediately and thoroughly curb the movement of people,” she told reporters.

Nishimura, who earlier this week said a state of emergency could be necessary if cases continued to rise, said the government viewed the situation as “serious” and would discuss the request.