Japan declares nationwide state of emergency amid virus spread
TOKYO. KAZINFORM - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expanded on Thursday the state of emergency beyond Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures to the entire nation in an attempt to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading further and straining the health care system, Kyodo reports.
With the declaration now covering all 47 prefectures in the country of around 126 million people, Abe said the government will provide cash handouts of 100,000 yen ($930) to all citizens. He also approved a rare reworking of a state budget days before its planned submission to parliament.
The nationwide state of emergency will not lead to hard lockdowns but is certain to deal a debilitating blow to Japan's economy, already on the brink of recession following a consumption tax hike last year. Some governors had asked the central government to include their prefectures amid fears of growing infections.
«I decided to put all prefectures under the state of emergency to curb infections in respective areas and especially to keep the movement of people to a minimum heading into the Golden Week holidays,» Abe told a meeting of a government task force on the coronavirus response.
«To end the emergency situation by May 6, it's imperative for people to reduce contact with others by at least 70 percent and up to 80 percent,» he said.
Many Japanese go to their hometowns and take trips during the Golden Week holidays that typically run from late April to early May. This year's holiday period will end on May 6.
Abe expressed concern that people moving freely across prefectures would spread coronavirus infections, with over 10,000 cases reported in Japan including about 700 from the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was quarantined in February near Tokyo.