Abe declares state of emergency

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in several regions of the country, a move that expands the powers of the local authorities in containing the spread of COVID-19.
Abe made the declaration in a meeting in Tokyo with a government group specially appointed to handle the health crisis and after securing the approval of Parliament, reports Efe news. The state of emergency came into effect on Tuesday in the Tokyo metropolitan area and six other prefectures — Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo, Fukuoka — and will end on May 6. It will allow authorities of the prefectures to impose a series of restrictions on citizens and companies to curb the increase in coronavirus infections.
Abe asked citizens to avoid stepping out of their homes as far as possible until the end of the state of emergency. (IANS)