Tokyo moves to next step of phased easing of curbs on Monday – governor

Curbs in Japan’s capital to contain the coronavirus will be eased further from Monday, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Friday. Theaters and gyms are among the facilities that will be allowed to reopen in a phased relaxation process.

The city can “move to the next step of the phased easing of curbs, as long as Tokyo takes the necessary precautions,” she said, citing the recommendation of an advisory panel.

Koike confirmed that 22 people in Tokyo had tested positive for the virus on Friday, the first time the number has gone above 20 for 15 days. The number of new cases had been rising slightly in recent days, and the governor said “this is a little bit of a concern.”

Japan lifted its state of emergency for Tokyo this week, following a drop in daily infections. The country has recorded about 17,000 infections and some 900 deaths from the virus, Reuters reported.