The government plans to lift the state of emergency in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures on Sunday, according to sources.
This would fully end the current state of emergency, which has lasted about 2-1/2 months.
After consulting with an advisory panel of experts on Thursday, the government is likely to make an official decision to lift the state of emergency at a task force meeting the same day.
Most key members of the government are said to be in favor of lifting the state of emergency, as the infection situation in Tokyo and the three prefectures meets the criteria to do so. However, the number of new infections has stopped declining and there are concerns about a resurgence.
"The impact of the state of emergency is fading. After it's lifted, we have to rethink our preparedness," a Cabinet member said Tuesday.
The government has been carefully assessing whether the state of emergency can be lifted on Sunday as scheduled. "I want to make the decision after consulting with experts, while taking into account objective figures such as the occupancy rate of hospital beds. I need to take some more time," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
In tandem with lifting the state of emergency, the government plans to promote vaccinations, strengthen measures against mutations of the virus, expand examinations aimed at monitoring the situation, and improve systems to provide medical services.
--Governors' views differ
"We are currently conducting various analyses. Unfortunately, [the number of new infections] has ceased to fall and we are concerned about a resurgence at some point," Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters Tuesday night. Koike avoided saying whether she agreed with lifting the state of emergency.
Chiba Gov. Kensaku Morita said Tuesday evening, "We hope the central government will assess the current situation in our prefecture and make appropriate decisions."
Morita stressed his position of continuing to make efforts so that the state of emergency will be lifted on Sunday. "It's understandable that businesses such as eating and drinking establishments want the state of emergency to be lifted as soon as possible," Morita said.
Among the four governors in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Saitama Gov. Motohiro Ono took the most cautious stance toward lifting the state of emergency.
"This is at least not a stage in which we should ask for it to be lifted," Ono said Monday.
Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa told reporters Monday, "All in all, Kanagawa is in good condition for lifting [the state of emergency]."
"Neighborhoods and people can't put up with it. The effectiveness of the state of emergency is fading," Kuroiwa said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
