Japan under state of emergency. As expected, the Prime Minister announced this month-long measure on Tuesday April 7 at a press conference. In particular, it should allow the authorities of the regions concerned to ask residents to stay at home as much as possible, avoiding unnecessary trips, and certain businesses to temporarily lower the curtain.

Other regions may join the system later if the situation requires, warned the Minister of Economy Yasutoshi Nishimura on Tuesday.

However, unlike other countries where compulsory confinements have been put in place, the Japanese system does not provide for coercive measures or sanctions for offenders.

The Covid-19 pandemic remains limited for the moment in the archipelago, but cases have been rising sharply for two weeks, raising fears of a saturation of hospitals, which prompted the government of Shinzo Abe to intensify its action.

Severe blow to the Japanese economy

According to the latest report from the Japanese Ministry of Health, the country totaled more than 3,900 cases of infection on Monday since the start of the crisis, for 80 dead. The state of emergency is expected to inflict a further severe blow on the country's economy, while Tokyo and its large suburbs weigh around one third of the national gross domestic product (GDP).

Shinzo Abe therefore also announced a record aid plan of 108 trillion yen (915 billion euros) to counter the effects of the health crisis on Japanese businesses and households.

This plan, which has yet to be formally approved by the government and the Parliament, will notably include financial allocations for the poorest households as well as for the small and medium-sized enterprises most affected by the crisis.

With AFP

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