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TOKYO: Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday (September 11), at the opening of a meeting of a panel of health experts, that he wanted to remove coronavirus-related restrictions on events such as kabuki theater performances. and classical music concerts.
Nishmura added that cases of infection related to such events have been declining. She also said that the government wanted to remove some restrictions on other events, such as rock concerts. The panel was ready to debate these measures following Nishimura’s remarks.
Nishimura had told reporters on Thursday that the meeting to consider easing restrictions on large-scale events followed appeals from Japan’s major baseball and soccer leagues.
READ: Tokyo lowers alert level as COVID-19 fears ease
On Thursday, the Tokyo government lowered its coronavirus alert one level from the highest level as cases continued to trend downward, paving the way for a loosening of restrictions on nighttime activity.
The capital raised the alert to “red” in July on expert advice after a surge in infections. Tokyo’s daily cases have gradually declined since reaching a peak of 472 cases in early August, with 276 new cases reported Thursday.
“Regarding the infection situation, we have dropped one level to orange from the highest level of red. But we must be cautious about increases again,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said at a coronavirus response meeting. .
Koike also said Tokyo would lift a measure that shortened the hours for restaurants and karaoke bars from September 16, considering the downward trend in the number of new cases.
READ: Tokyo 2020 should be held ‘at any price’: Japan’s Olympic minister
Earlier in the week, Japan’s Olympic minister had said that the Tokyo Olympics should be held in 2021 “at any cost.”
“For the Games next year, athletes will continue to work hard in the environments they are in. So I feel like we have to keep it up at any cost,” Seiko Hashimoto said when asked about the comments from the Vice President of the Olympic Committee. International (IOC). President John Coates.
“I think Mr Coates felt reassured that the Tokyo Games can be held with greater coordination of efforts,” he added.
Coates told AFP in an exclusive interview on Monday that he was confident the delayed Games would open as planned next year, and promised that it will be the “Games that conquered COVID.”
“It will take place with or without COVID. The Games will start on July 23 next year,” said Coates, who heads the IOC Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games.
The 2020 Olympics were postponed due to the coronavirus and are now scheduled to start on July 23, 2021.
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