Most restaurants and bars in Tokyo will be able to return to almost normal operations for the first time in 11 months from Monday, following the Tokyo metropolitan government's decision to ease pandemic-related restrictions.
Certified establishments will be able to serve alcohol after 8 p.m. and accept groups of five or more diners if customers have proof of vaccination or negative test results.
The metropolitan government decided to ease the restrictions at a coronavirus task force meeting on Thursday.
Currently, certified eateries with infection prevention measures in place are asked to stop serving alcohol by 8 p.m. and close by 9 p.m.
Establishments that have not received the metropolitan government certification are asked to not serve alcohol and close by 8 p.m.
Under the restrictions that have been in place since the fourth state of emergency ended on Sept. 30., certified and uncertified eateries have been asked to restrict the number of group diners to no more than four people per table.
The metropolitan government decided to ease the restrictions from Monday as scheduled, as new infection cases in the capital have been on a downward trend and the strain on the medical system has lifted.
At certified eateries, there will be no restrictions on operating hours or the serving of alcohol.
Diners with vaccine certificates or negative test results will be allowed to dine in groups of five or more people. The restrictions will remain for diners without such documents.
Noncertified establishments will be asked to stop serving alcohol by 9 p.m. and limit groups to four customers per table.
All restrictions will be lifted for department stores, movie theaters, museums and other facilities, which have been asked to close by 9 p.m. under the current rules.
Spectator restrictions will be eased on Oct. 31 in accordance with the central government's policy.
Currently, spectator numbers are capped at 5,000 or 50% of capacity up to 10,000 people. At events where audiences do not cheer loudly, the cap will be 5,000 or 50% of capacity, with no upper limit. For events where people cheer loudly, the limit will be 50% of capacity.
The Osaka prefectural government also decided to ease restrictions on the operating hours of eateries from Monday, about a week earlier than the scheduled date of Oct. 31.
Meanwhile, Okinawa Prefecture has decided to continue its requests for restaurants and bars to shorten their operating hours until the end of this month.
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