This article is more than

4 year old
Japan

Japan’s Abe lifts state of emergency, says virus outbreak under control

Source: France 24
May 25, 2020 at 09:35
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's news conference is broadcast on large screens at Shinjuku district in Tokyo on May 25, 2020. © Issei Kato, REUTERS
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's news conference is broadcast on large screens at Shinjuku district in Tokyo on May 25, 2020. © Issei Kato, REUTERS
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted the state of emergency imposed nationally to combat coronavirus following a sharp decline in the number of new cases.

We had very stringent criteria for lifting the state of emergency. We have judged that we have met this criteria," Abe told a nationally televised news conference.

"Today we will lift the state of emergency nationwide," he said.

Social distancing curbs had been loosened for most of the country on May 14 as new infections fell, but the government was keeping Tokyo and four other prefectures under watch.

The world's third-largest economy has escaped an explosive outbreak with more than 16,600 infections and 839 deaths so far, according to NHK public broadcaster.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)

Keywords
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second