The Osaka prefectural government formally decided Tuesday to ask the central government to declare a state of emergency for the prefecture, based on the revised special measures law to cope with new strains of influenza.
The request is to be made on the same day.
Osaka Prefecture logged 1,153 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, a record number for that day of the week.
At a meeting of its headquarters to deal with the novel coronavirus, the prefectural government also confirmed that it will ask the central government to make it possible to request the closure of large commercial facilities such as department stores, movie theaters and underground malls, in addition to restaurants.
Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said at the meeting, "Considering the spread of coronavirus variants and the high percentage of people becoming severely ill, we should request the declaration of a state of emergency."
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