{"id":458982,"date":"2021-01-07T03:52:16","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T10:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=458982"},"modified":"2021-01-07T10:23:44","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T17:23:44","slug":"japan-declares-state-of-emergency-in-tokyo-as-coronavirus-cases-hit-daily-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/japan-declares-state-of-emergency-in-tokyo-as-coronavirus-cases-hit-daily-record\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan Declares State Of Emergency In Tokyo As Coronavirus Cases Hit Daily Record"},"content":{"rendered":"

Japan declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and three nearby areas on Thursday as coronavirus cases continue to surge with the Olympics due to start in a little over six months.<\/p>\n

According to the Associated Press, cases\u00a0hit a daily record of 2,447 in the capital with prime minister Yoshihide Suga<\/strong> issuing the declaration.<\/p>\n

It will last from Friday until 7 February and centres on restrictive measures as opposed to a lockdown seen in the likes of Britain, Germany and the Netherlands to name but three.<\/p>\n

The declaration carries no penalties but it acts as a strong request as Japan seeks to balance driving down the cases while keeping the economy going.<\/p>\n

Restaurants and bars are to close at 8pm with people being asked to stay home and not mingle in crowds.<\/p>\n

Schools will remain open as will shopping malls while cinemas, museums and other events will be asked to restrict numbers.<\/p>\n

According to the AP, places that defy the request will be publicized on a list, while those that comply will be eligible for aid, according to officials.<\/p>\n

Prime minister Suga promised more aid for hospitals with the Japanese military on standby while work on getting a vaccine approved and delivered is continuing.<\/p>\n

He said:<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe global pandemic has been a tougher one than we expected, but I\u2019m hopeful we can overcome this.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor this to happen, I must ask citizens to endure life with some restrictions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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\u201cI am confident we can overcome this, but I must ask all of you endure a restricted life for a while longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease take this matter seriously as your own, to protect all precious life, your parents, your grandparents, family and friends, over generations.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The action comes a day after IOC vice-president Dick Pound<\/strong> said the most realistic way of saving the Olympics – which have already been pushed back a year to July 2021 – was to give athletes priority access to the vaccine.<\/a><\/p>\n
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