Japan is preparing to extend its state of emergency until Monday until the end of May in preparation for a long battle against the epidemic of coronavirus. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced it in Tokyo and six other regions on April 7 and then extended it across the country.
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This state of emergency, which is not accompanied by any coercive measure, must end on Wednesday but Shinzo Abe should announce the extension after having obtained the opinion of specialists in infectious diseases. " We have reached an agreement to extend the period until May 31 in all the prefectures of the country, " said Minister responsible for pandemic issues, Yasutoshi Nishimura.
The Prime Minister is expected to explain the government's decision during a press conference on Monday. " With the idea that the fight against this infectious disease will take a long time, I would like you to offer concrete examples of a new way of life that would allow people to prevent contamination while maintaining social and economic activities " said the minister during the expert meeting held on Monday.
The state of emergency is much less restrictive in Japan than in certain European countries and the United States. It allows governors to call the inhabitants of their prefecture to stay at home and certain businesses to close. The authorities do not have the power to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement of citizens and no sanctions are foreseen. Japan, with a population of around 126 million, has reported more than 15,000 infections and 510 deaths since the start of the epidemic, far less than figures from many other countries.
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But medical associations warn that hospitals are already under stress and could quickly find themselves overwhelmed by a progression of the disease. The number of intensive care beds in Japan is estimated at 6,500 or 5 per 100,000 inhabitants, less than half the rate found in Italy, says the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Measures have been taken to alleviate pressure on the health system, such as putting patients with mild coronavirus symptoms in hotels rather than keeping them in overcrowded hospitals.
