Curbs test games' resolve

TOKYO • Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga wants to make a decision as soon as this week on whether to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and other areas, and ramp up restrictions to contain a surge in coronavirus cases just three months before the start of the delayed Olympics.

He said yesterday he has received formal requests from Osaka and neighbouring Hyogo prefecture for a declaration.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has also indicated a request will be coming soon from the capital, where infections are spreading and she said the medical system is coming under strain in some areas.

The moves by the leaders of Japan's two biggest and economically important urban areas have put pressure on Mr Suga to move quickly, while local media reports indicated Kyoto prefecture was also planning to request an emergency declaration.

Tokyo is looking to have a state of emergency in place from April 29 through May 9 to coincide with a string of public holidays known as the "Golden Week", the Mainichi newspaper reported yesterday, citing an unnamed political official.

This would be the third national state of emergency since the outset of the pandemic and coming just over a month since the last one ended.

Covid-19 cases in the capital have jumped in recent days, with the daily total hitting 843 yesterday - the highest number since late January, when Tokyo was under its second state of emergency.

"I would like to work with local governments and examine the contents of their requests, and then make a decision as soon as this week," Mr Suga said.

Tighter restrictions on activity will not only delay the economy's recovery, but further test the resolve of policy makers and Olympic organisers to press ahead with the Games, set to start on July 23 after a one-year delay.

Mr Suga, who has touted the Olympics as an opportunity to prove that the world has defeated the virus, reiterated the stance that the Games will proceed as scheduled despite any state of emergency.

"There will be no impact on the Olympics," Mr Suga said. "The government will do its best to host the Games in safety."

There is no law that prohibits the Olympics from taking place under an emergency, but it will likely impact the number of domestic spectators allowed, with overseas fans already banned from the Tokyo Games.

Organisers were set to make an announcement this month on the cap on domestic fans, but Japanese media yesterday said it may be put off until June as surging infections wreak havoc on preparations.

The Tokyo 2020 committee said the timing of the decision needed to stay "flexible" as the virus situation develops.

Athletes may also face daily virus testing, rather than once every four days as originally planned, separate reports added. The virus surge has further soured Japanese public support for the Olympics.

More than 70 per cent of those surveyed by broadcaster ANN over the weekend said that they were against the staging of the July 23-Aug 8 Games, even though Japan has the fewest Covid-19 cases of any Group of Seven country.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG