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TOKYO: The Japanese government said on Thursday (May 14) that it wants to lift a declared state of emergency on the coronavirus in most of the country, although not yet in the capital Tokyo and other urban centers.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month extended a state of emergency nationwide until the end of May.
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But with the infections severely diminished, his government now hopes to lift the measure early in up to 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures.
On Thursday morning, the minister in charge of the virus response, Yasutoshi Nishimura, held talks with a panel of experts, the first step in the process to lift the measure.
“We have confirmed that new cases have fallen below levels in mid-March when infections started to spread,” he said.
“Given (stable) medical care and monitoring systems in these regions, we believe it is appropriate to raise the state of emergency for them,” he said, referring to 39 prefectures.
READ: Has Japan dodged the COVID-19 bullet?
According to local media, the state of emergency will remain in place in eight regions, including Tokyo and Osaka, but another review will take place on May 21, increasing the possibility that the measure will be lifted before the end of the month.
Abe is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday night to explain the move to lift the measure.
Japan’s state of emergency is far from the harshest measures seen in parts of Europe and the United States. It allows local governors to urge people to stay home and ask businesses to remain closed.
But officials cannot compel citizens to comply, and there are no penalties for those who do not.
Schools in much of the country closed even before an emergency was declared April 7 in Tokyo and six other regions, before expanding across the country.
READ: Over 90% of Tokyo Hospital Beds for COVID-19 Patients Full
The virus outbreak in Japan remains small compared to that seen in parts of Europe and the United States, with just over 16,000 reported confirmed infections and 687 deaths.
New cases have declined recently, with 55 newly confirmed infections Wednesday across the country and just 10 in Tokyo.
Japan recorded its first coronavirus infection in mid-January and was under early pressure with a massive outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in the city of Yokohama.
Despite having so far avoided the devastating tolls seen in places like Italy and New York, there have been lingering fears that Japan’s health system may quickly be overwhelmed by a surge in infections.
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