Japan not in situation to declare state of emergency over COVID-19, PM Suga says

TOKYO: Japan is not in a situation that requires a state-of-emergency declaration again over the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, adding that experts backed that view.

Speaking to reporters, he said the government’s initiative to boost domestic tourism with subsidies also did not need to be revised.

Coronavirus infections reached the highest-ever 1,634 cases in Japan on Thursday, topping a previous record set on Aug. 7, according to public broadcaster NHK.