The Tokyo metropolitan government intends to urge residents to refrain from drinking alcohol on the streets when it declares a state of emergency, in addition to requesting the temporary closure of eating establishments that serve alcoholic beverages and large-scale commercial facilities.
The metropolitan government is also considering temporarily closing its public facilities.
According to sources, department stores (except for floors selling daily necessities) are expected to be among the businesses targeted by a closure request, as well as amusement parks and the like.
With restaurants and bars currently closing at 8 p.m. in response to requests to shorten business hours, there has been a spate of drinking on streets and in parks, leading to complaints to municipalities and other entities.
"Even with the implementation of priority measures, [infections] haven't been contained sufficiently, and cases of coronavirus variants are rapidly increasing," Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike told reporters Thursday.
"We need to use the upcoming major holiday period as an opportunity to curb the flow of people and take stronger measures to reduce human-to-human contact."
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