Daily coronavirus cases are steadily on the rise nationwide as Japan heads into the New Year period when many people travel to their hometowns to see their families, with infections in Tokyo projected to peak in early January.
Cases rose from 89,622 on Dec. 4 to 136,407 two weeks later on Dec. 18, and then to 149,665 on Sunday. The figures are still lower than the peak of about 260,000 in mid-August amid the seventh wave.
Many public schools finished the semester Friday, and companies will wrap up their operations for the year over the next few days. Train stations and airports will then be full of people making their way to a relaxing vacation or to reunite with their families and friends — a scenario that could trigger a further spread of the virus.