Tokyo, Japan
A little after concluding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Japan has announced that Covid curbs will now be extended until the end of September for the capital city.
The government has decided to extend the restrictions to make sure that the spread of the virus does not become that bad that hospitals face an uncontrollable situation in the upcoming weeks and months.
Japanâs Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the capital city Tokyo will stay under regulations. While the minister admitted that the situation is getting better, he also added that it is "still too early to lower our guard".
Tokyo is one of the main regions, along with 18 other areas which are being put under strict Covid restrictions. Osaka and Tokyo have been shifted to "priority measures" which means targeted restrictions will be implemented in these two cities.
Japanâs Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has urged the health experts and government officials to make sure that the government is ready with plans for October and the following months.
"We will be easing restrictions by using certificates of (COVID-19) vaccination and negative test results, and setting a path toward normalizing social and economic activities," he said.
This decision has come a little after Suga announced that he will soon be resigning from the post of Prime Minister and his priority will be controlling the spread of coronavirus and bringing Japan out of the Covid crisis.