Japan to expand COVID state of emergency to eight more prefectures -NHK

FILE PHOTO: Women wearing protective masks, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, make their way in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Japan will expand its coronavirus state of emergency to the northern island of Hokkaido and seven other prefectures, public broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday.

They will join 13 other prefectures, including Tokyo, currently which are under the measures until Sept. 12, NHK said.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Andrew Heavens)