Japan's PM extends state of emergency for one month until March 7

Yoshihide Suga

TOKYO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday extended the state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic in struggling regions for one month to March 7.

Among the 11 of the Japan's 47 prefectures currently covered by the state of emergency, Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures will remain under the declaration, as well as Aichi, Gifu, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures, Suga said at a meeting of the government's COVID-19 task force.

Meanwhile, Tochigi Prefecture, located to the capital's north, will be removed from the emergency list as COVID-19 cases have eased in the area.