A key measure in the nation's second state of emergency, declared by the government for Tokyo and neighboring prefectures to curb rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, is preventing workers from congregating at offices, which is thought to make it more likely for them to go out and dine after hours.

But there's a big question over whether the government can get businesses to commit to having their employees work from home. The answer may be no.

To limit people’s movement as much as possible, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s administration aims to reduce the number of workers going to offices by 70%.