Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga dug deep and doubled down on the government's coronavirus strategy yesterday in the face of critics who said its policies were inadequate against the dangerously virulent Delta strain.
Tokyo and Okinawa saw new daily highs in Covid-19 cases this week despite being under a state of emergency.
Critics say too many people are fatigued by the emergency curbs, especially with the summer holidays and Olympic Games occurring, while the government has not adequately conveyed the seriousness of the situation, nor how hospitals are on the brink.
Mr Suga's defence - at times defiant - came at a news conference to announce an expansion of emergency measures to Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama and Osaka, starting on Monday. Another five prefectures - Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka - will on the same day come under lighter "quasi-emergency" curbs. These measures are due to expire on Aug 31 in all 11 areas, including Tokyo and Okinawa.
Yesterday, Japan broke its day-old Covid-19 record with 10,743 cases, driven by Tokyo's 3,300 cases - its third straight day above 3,000 infections. Four prefectures set new one-day highs: Kanagawa, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tottori.
Yet there appears to be a disconnect between what doctors are saying, with politicians reluctant to take greater action, and a public lacking a sense of crisis amid the Olympic Games, which are being held within a "bubble" whose robustness is under question.
Doctors warn that much more must be done much faster to curb the spread of the Delta variant - now the mainstream strain circulating in Japan. The number of patients in severe condition jumped by 87 yesterday to 626.
But they fear politicians do not know what they are doing as complacency has seeped in since Japan has escaped the worst of Covid-19.
Nine medical associations bemoaned the government's lack of initiative in a statement on Thursday, saying that the healthcare system is "on the verge of being seriously strained" and calling for decisive action like a nationwide state of emergency.
Mr Suga did not do much to convey this sense of urgency to the public yesterday, repeating the routine requests for the public to follow basic anti-virus measures like wearing masks, sanitising their hands, and avoiding unnecessary outings. This has rung hollow with a jaded public.
"If the Olympics can be held with infection control, why can't I go out if I take strict countermeasures?" said a Twitter user.
Tokyo Medical Association chief Haruo Ozaki also said on Thursday that the Olympics make it "difficult to ask for self-restraint" and so there may be "indirect effects".
Mr Suga, when asked about these "indirect effects", evaded the question by saying the Games were a positive as people would stay indoors and watch television.
Ultimately, however, he is pinning his exit strategy on vaccinations. To ease a dire supply shortage, Mr Suga said that Japan will add the AstraZeneca vaccine to those already being used, for people aged 40 and older.
But how far this can ease the problem remains to be seen, as many Japanese say they are still unable to get a shot, amid the shortage.
