Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Thursday she will ask the central government for the authority to take stronger measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic under a quasi-state of emergency as worries increase about a resurgence in infections in the capital.
The measures, which are already in place in parts of Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures, are expected to call on people to refrain from traveling long distances during the Golden Week holidays from late April and could also see closing times for restaurants and bars brought forward to 8 p.m. in densely populated areas.
The move comes as Tokyo reported 545 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, a day after reporting a two-month high of 555, and with less than four months before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.