Japan to declare month-long state of emergency in Tokyo, 6 other prefectures, PM Abe says

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday in a bid to stop the coronavirus. Abe made the announcement in remarks to media televised live.

More than 3,500 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan and 85 have died, Reuters reported. The numbers have been rising with particular alarm over the spread in Tokyo, which has more than 1,000 cases, including 83 new ones on Monday.

An emergency, which Abe said would last about a month, will give governors authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close, but not to order the kind of lockdowns seen in other countries. In most cases, there are no penalties for ignoring requests.

Pressure had been mounting on the government to take the step, although Abe has voiced concern about being too hasty, given the restrictions on movement and business that would ensue. A stimulus package worth hundreds of billions of dollars is due to be rolled out this week.