Tokyo (AFP)

The Japanese Prime Minister on Thursday declared a new state of emergency in Tokyo and its suburbs in the face of the pandemic, but the limited scale of this device despite the contamination records recorded in the country raised fears of limited results.

Soon six months before the scheduled opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, postponed last year because of the pandemic, the state of emergency risks further cooling the Japanese population, already mostly in favor of a new postponement or cancellation of the Olympic Games.

"We are declaring a state of emergency" because "there are concerns that the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the country will have a significant impact on the lives of residents and on the economy," Yoshihide Suga said during 'a meeting with a panel of experts.

The state of emergency initially concerns the capital and three adjacent regions, from Friday and for a period of one month.

Several other regions, including those of Osaka (west) and Aichi (center), are considering applying to join the system.

Greater Tokyo, where nearly 37 million people live, or 30% of the Japanese population, concentrates the majority of new daily cases currently recorded at the national level.

With these measures, the government mainly targets restaurants and bars, which are called upon to stop serving alcohol after 7:00 p.m. and close their doors at 8:00 p.m., and recommends that residents avoid unnecessary night outings.

Companies are encouraged to favor teleworking, with the objective of reducing home-work trips by 70%.

However, schools are not called upon to close, and public events may take place but at 50% of their capacity and with a maximum capacity of 5,000 spectators.

- "Overcome this ordeal" -

Referring to the scale that the pandemic has taken around the world "beyond imaginable", Mr. Suga said he was "confident in our ability to overcome this ordeal".

However, "we are obliged to once again ask the people to observe restrictions," he added.

Japanese law does not provide for penalties for non-compliance with instructions, even under a state of emergency, but the government is preparing a change in the law that would allow recalcitrant companies to be fined.

Japan has been relatively spared the pandemic so far compared to other countries, with some 3,700 officially recorded deaths since January 2020.

But the country has suffered since last November a third wave much larger than the first two.

About 7,500 new positive cases were identified Thursday nationally, including 2,447 in Tokyo, two new records.

Faced with the gravity of the situation, several medical experts felt that stronger measures and over a longer time were necessary.

But Mr. Suga, increasingly criticized for his management of the health crisis, "is more inclined to (support, editor's note) the economic recovery", knowing that Japan is just recovering from a brutal recession, told AFP economist Masamichi Adachi of UBS Securities.

"Finding a balance between economic and health concerns is complicated," he added.

- Olympic exhibitions postponed -

With almost six months of the scheduled opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed last year due to the pandemic, Mr. Suga repeated this week that Japan was more determined than ever for them to take place. , as "proof of humanity's victory over the virus".

But the organizers, who planned to display the Olympic and Paralympic flames in various locations in the capital in January, announced on Thursday the sine die postponement of these events.

The use of the Covid-19 vaccines ordered by Japan has not yet received the green light from local authorities, but Mr Suga reiterated on Thursday that the vaccination campaign could start at the end of February.

The first state of emergency in Japan last year initially targeted greater Tokyo as well, before being extended to the whole country.

It had temporarily stemmed the pandemic, but the number of cases was much lower than currently and its measures more draconian, with calls for the total closure of shops, restaurants, cinemas and sports halls, among others.

© 2021 AFP