Japan’s government is making final preparations to end a state of emergency over the coronavirus for Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures on March 21, public broadcaster NHK reported.
"I will propose to the advisory council tomorrow to lift the state of emergency," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said. He added that hospital bed availability has improved after the state of emergency was declared in January.
The government's coronavirus advisory council will meet on Thursday to discuss plans to lift the emergency. If approved, the government's task force will officially end the emergency declaration and follow with a news conference by Suga to explain the reasoning behind the decision.
The state of emergency was declared in January and extended twice for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures, while emergencies in seven other prefectures were lifted in February in stages.
