Olympic host city Tokyo entered a fresh state of emergency on Monday, less than two weeks before the Games begin amid worries about whether the measures can stem a rise in COVID-19 cases.
- Japan has not seen the explosive coronavirus outbreak seen elsewhere but has recorded more than 815,440 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths. Recent rises in Tokyo have been worried the authority amid a vaccination rollout that got off to a slow start and has faced supply glitches after speeding up. Only about 28% of the population has received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- .The coronavirus curbs include asking restaurants to close early and stop serving alcohol in exchange for a government subsidy, measures that have hit the eateries hard and caused many to complain of unfairness as the Games are set to go ahead.
- Last week the Organizers of the Olympic Games announced that spectators would be banned from nearly all venues, all but depriving Japan of hopes for Games with public spectacle.
- Spectators from abroad had been banned months ago, and officials are now asking residents to watch on TV. “We would ask people to support athletes from home,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said on a Sunday TV program.
- The Games, postponed from last year because of the pandemic, run from July 23 to August 8, while the state of emergency the capital’s fourth lasts until August 22, shortly before the Paralympics begin.
- Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is also in charge of the pandemic response, sparked outrage when he suggested late on Thursday he would ask banks to put pressure on eateries that do not comply with the stricter measures.
Tokyo recorded 614 new cases on Sunday, the 22nd straight day of week-on-week gains, but many areas were crowded with shoppers.
