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Coronavirus Japan: Tokyo braces for fresh state of emergency as cases spike
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has so far held off on declaring another emergency as it could slow his push to keep Japan’s economy going
- But business owners in Tokyo said they were preparing for the worst as thousands of new cases were reported over the year-end period
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Business owners in Tokyo said on Monday they were resigned to the possible return to a state of emergency as coronavirus cases reached record highs in Japan over the year-end period.
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Masako Nemoto-Deacon, managing director of the Miyabe Consultant executive coaching agency that employs three coaches in Tokyo and also has an office in London, said she had moved to conduct most of her business activities online since March and this had worked well.
“For us, the problem is more about how the pandemic getting worse will affect our clients’ business and lives,” she added.
Japanese stocks declined on the first trading day of the year as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he was considering declaring a state of emergency and would announce the extent of restrictions soon.
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He also urged people to avoid unnecessary outings and said he will ask parliament to amend an act on virus management when it convenes this month. The prime minister has been in a bind over the declaration. He has so far held off on the move that could slow his push to keep the economy going while containing the virus.
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