Tokyo: Japan government on Tuesday announced that it is going to lift the coronavirus state of emergency this week.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the emergency will end Thursday and virus restrictions will be eased gradually “in order to resume daily lives despite the presence of the virus.”
He said the government will create more temporary COVID-19 treatment facilities and continue vaccinations to prepare for any future resurgence.
Government officials are also instituting other plans such as vaccine passports and virus tests, Suga said.
Japan’s current state of emergency, declared in April, was repeatedly extended to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The emergency has mainly involved requests for restaurants and bars to reduce their hours and not serve alcohol. Governors in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto have said they plan to keep those requests in place while closely monitoring the virus situation.