Quasi

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government plans to make a final decision Wednesday on the possible lifting ahead of the emergency's expiration on March 21, ...

Kishida said Monday at a ruling Liberal Democratic Party meeting the number of infected people in the 18 prefectures “has decreased significantly” and that the government “would like to move the social and economic activities forward as much as possible.” However, the government will keep a close eye on the number of infections in such areas as some prefectures might ask for an extension. Japan is considering lifting the COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency for 18 prefectures upon its expiration next week as the number of infections in those areas has been decreasing, a government source said Monday.