translated from Spanish: Japan: call for state of emergency for virus

Officials in Tokyo and three nearby prefectures have called on the national government to declare a state of emergency to reduce the growing spread of coronavirus.” On behalf of the life assessment, we made this request together,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said, after meeting Saturday with the minister in charge of the coronavirus measures, along with the governors of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.Japan has seen a recent increase in coronavirus cases, especially in urban areas. Tokyo had a daily record of 1,337 cases on New Year’s Eve.There is concern that Tokyo is home to the Olympic Games in July, with 11,000 Olympic athletes ready to enter Japan, as well as tens of thousands of officials and media outlets. COVID-19 “doesn’t know about calendars,” Koike said. “Hospitals are filling up, which affects health care for everyone.” Japan has never had a confinement and juggled to keep the economy going despite health risks. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has been criticized for what some see as his mismanship of the pandemic. Japan has more than 3,500 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths.

Original source in Spanish