Japan mulls extending COVID quasi-emergency in Tokyo, 12 prefs.

Japan mulls extending COVID quasi-emergency in Tokyo, 12 prefs. (EDS: RECASTING, ADDING INFO THROUGHOUT) TOKYO, Feb. 3 Kyodo - Japan is considering extending a COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency in Tokyo and 12 prefectures by two weeks from the original end date of Feb. 13, sources close to the matter said Thursday, as the country continues to see record-breaking infection numbers. Despite having placed 34 of Japan's 47 prefectures under quasi-state of emergency measures to curb infections, the country's daily tally further rose to 104,470 on Thursday, topping 100,000 for the first time and pushing up the cumulative total to 3 million cases. The Japanese government is considering extending the quasi-emergency entailing restrictions on the business hours of restaurants and bars, and a request to refrain from nonessential travel between prefectures among other antivirus measures in Tokyo and other areas to reduce strain on health care services and social functions, the sources said. Aside from Tokyo, the extension is being considered for Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa, which border the capital, as well as Gunma, Niigata, Gifu, Aichi, Mie, Kagawa, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Miyazaki. Tokyo reported 20,679 new cases on Thursday, just below the previous day's record-high 21,576. On Thursday, the government decided to newly place the western prefecture of Wakayama under the quasi-emergency measures from Saturday to Feb. 27. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a regular press conference the quasi-emergency curbs are "effective to a certain extent, as there are areas where the number of new coronavirus cases is declining." Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has suggested reviewing the government's response to adapt to the characteristics of the Omicron variant, which is known to be highly transmissible but appears to cause fewer severe cases of COVID-19. Okinawa Prefecture, which was one of the first areas in the country to come under the quasi-emergency in early January, is planning to end the measures from Monday in parts of the prefecture where daily cases have been declining. The southern island prefecture's curbs have been extended and are scheduled to end Feb. 20. Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said in a press conference Thursday antivirus measures and vaccine booster shots have contributed to curbing the spread of the virus. ==Kyodo