Japan extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for 20 more days on Friday, with infections still not slowing as it prepares to host the Olympics in just over 50 days. Cases remain high and medical systems in Osaka, the hardest-hit area in western Japan, are still overburdened, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said in announcing the decision.
Olympic organisers must decide at about that time whether to allow any fans at all, after overseas spectators were banned months ago.
A plan to prioritise vaccinations for Japanese athletes is expected to begin around then, according to media reports.
