NHK WORLD


 

The coronavirus shows no signs of a summer slowdown in Japan as the upward trend continues. Officials are turning a worried eye to the season's upcoming holidays.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is calling on people to keep taking thorough measures against the virus.

In a break from his usual look, Abe entered the prime minister's office Monday wearing a different cloth mask than the one his government distributed to all households.

Abe said, "Now shops are selling a variety of masks. I would like to ask people to wear masks when going out as a prevention measure."

The government plans to hold a subcommittee meeting this week to seek expert opinions on measures for the summer vacation period starting next week, when many people return to their hometowns.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko is calling on residents to stay home as much as possible during the holidays.

Officials in the capital will ask bars, karaoke parlors and restaurants that serve alcohol to close by 10 p.m. from Monday.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 292 new cases on Sunday. The daily tally fell below 300 for the first time in four days.
The total number of infections nationwide is nearly 40,000.