The number of new cases per day exceeds 5,000 again! Many places in Japan request to declare a state of emergency

According to statistics from the Japan Broadcasting Association TV station, as of local time on the 21st, Japan had 5,291 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 that day, bringing the total to 547,544; 49 new deaths, bringing the total to 9,773.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday that the Japanese government plans to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and three other prefectures for the third time after a new surge in infections .

Asked when a decision would be made , Suga said the government would formally declare a state of emergency after meeting with experts on Friday .

While it did not specify the duration of the state of emergency, public broadcaster NHK said the government was considering imposing restrictions from April 25 to May 11.

The government also did not provide any details on what steps a new state of emergency might entail, but media reports said stronger measures than those issued in January were likely, such as requiring bars and department stores to close and events to be held without spectators .

Some analysts say the state of emergency could push Japan back into recession if the Golden Week holidays, which begin next week and run until early May, require retailers to close.

It is understood that Japan just emerged from a severe economic recession last year and is working hard to curb the resurgence of the epidemic and economic recession.

The Tokyo Motor Show, one of the most important events for Japan's auto industry, will not take place this year, its organizers said on Thursday. The cancellation could also cause more problems as the government insists that the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed from last year, will be held this summer.

Japan has so far avoided an explosive spread of the epidemic, but the latest rise in infections has raised alarm just three months before the planned opening of the Olympics and amid a slow vaccination rollout.

Tokyo and three western prefectures have sought emergency measures as a highly contagious virus strain leads to thousands of new cases.

"We need to take stronger and more targeted measures than before, including asking (stores) to close," Japan's Kyodo News Agency quoted Japanese Economy Minister Yasuo Nishimura as saying.

" It's bad timing, so it will hit spending on services during the spring leisure season , " said Takumi Tsunoda, senior economist at Shinkin Central Bank Research Institute .

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