Japan’s government prepared Monday to extend its nationwide state of emergency to the end of May as it braces for a lengthy battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared an initial month-long state of emergency for Tokyo and six other regions on April 7, later expanding it to cover the entire country.
It is to expire on Wednesday, but Abe is expected to announce an extension to May 31 after consulting infectious diseases experts.
He is to explain the government decision at a press conference later Monday.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she had asked Abe’s minister responsible for the virus outbreak Yasutoshi Nishimura about the government’s plan for an extension.
“The minister told me they were putting it together for an extension to May 31,” Koike said in a video message to residents late Sunday.
As experts met Monday, Nishimura warned the battle against the virus was far from over.
“Preparing for the fact that it will take a long time to deal with this infectious disease, I’d like you to propose concrete examples of a new way of life that would enable people to prevent infections while maintaining social and economic activities,” he told a gathering of experts.
