Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike again urged the public to refrain from going out, ahead of the long holiday season on Tuesday.
"I would like everyone to be patient this year so that we all can enjoy next year's Golden Week from the bottom of our heart," Koike told reporters.
The Tokyo metropolitan government also announced that it would compensate small- and medium-sized barbershops and beauty salons, both of which are not subject to the request for closure, if they voluntarily suspend their business from Thursday through May 6. Those operating just one such outlet will receive 150,000 yen and those operating more than one will receive 300,000 yen.
The decision was made because there have been suspected coronavirus cases at a beauty salon in Fukuoka Prefecture. The Tokyo metropolitan government will start accepting applications via mail starting May 7.
As of Tuesday, three weeks have passed since a state of emergency was declared for Tokyo and six other prefectures. There were 281 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 13,892, excluding those who were infected aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked at Yokohama Port in February. There were 19 deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 413.
In Tokyo, the number of new infections was 112 on Tuesday, the first time in three days the figure reached three digits. It was 39 on Monday and 72 on Sunday. The total number of infections in the capital is now 4,059.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
.png?w=600)
