#6 Prefectures to Come Out of State of Emergency at the End of February Including Osaka, Kyoto

Osaka in 2019 (Photo: Daryl Harding)

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced tonight that six of the current 10 prefectures under a State of Emergency to combat the coronavirus infection will have the declaration canceled at the end of February, one week before the March 7 deadline. These prefectures include Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi, Gifu, and Fukuoka, Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa are to remain under the declaration until at least March 7–where the advisory panel will reconvene to decide on whether to extend or not.

The Kansai region, which is made up of Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo, have noted that the COVID-19 situation is under control for the time being, with the situation at the equivalent of stage two of four in the medical emergency chart, with positive cases lower than that of when the declaration was started, and the medical system capable of dealing with any new cases that may arise. 

Though the declaration will be lifted at the end of February, and the requests to not go out after 8 PM rescinded, the central Japanese government has asked businesses to enact social distancing measures, with funds available to each business to cover costs.

Prime Minister Suga (via NHK)

Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures, despite the decreasing cases, remain under the State of Emergency until at least March 7. Unlike Kansai, Kanto is still finding its medical system under a huge amount of strain, with over 1,800 people still hospitalized with COVID-19. Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike is still worried that cases may bounce right back up with eased requests, especially as the sakura season ramps up in early March. Last March saw cases rise rapidly as many went out for hanami celebrations (watching the sakura bloom while drinking) and the first State of Emergency enacted.

Even though Japan has started later than some other developed nations, COVID-19 vaccinations have started their first phase rollout in Japan, with 40,000 healthcare workers first in line to get the Pfizer vaccine. After the first phase semi-trial has been concluded, mid-March will see the rest of the healthcare workers get their vaccinations, followed by people aged 65 or older in mid-April, along with retirement home staff and caregivers around the same time.

Sources: NHK (1, 2), The Japan Times, NHK World Japan

If you or someone you know is living in Japan, coronavirus-based English resources are available at NHK World Japan. 

—- 

Daryl Harding is a Japan Correspondent for Crunchyroll News. He also runs a YouTube channel about Japan stuff called TheDoctorDazza, tweets at @DoctorDazza, and posts photos of his travels on Instagram.