With nearly 100 days left for the postponed Tokyo Olympics, the governemnt of Japan has decided to impose tighter measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in the capital on Friday, days after lifting a state of emergency.
As per reports, the new restrictions will be less severe than the blanket lockdown, which was imposed last year.
They are already in force in virus hotspots including Osaka city, where a rebound in cases has forced the Olympic torch relay off public roads.
The delayed 2020 Olympics due to the pandemic are due to open on July 23 in Tokyo, but a surge in cases in parts of Japan has left the organisers worried.
“It is urgent that we take more and stronger steps such as reducing the flow of people between major cities, or else we are bound to see a situation where infections will spread and become more serious,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Thursday.
Japan has avoided the severe Covid-19 outbreaks seen elsewhere and has suffered around 9,300 deaths overall.
The new measures, whi will cover the central Tokyo area and other selected parts of Japan, are expected to be announced later on Friday.