Japan extends virus emergency until end of September

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday announced an extension of a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 18 other areas until the end of September, saying healthcare systems remain under severe strain, and that the continuing challenges of fighting the virus had led to his decision not to seek another term.

The state of emergency, which was to end on Sunday, was issued first in Okinawa in May and gradually expanded and extended as the country prepared to host the Olympics.

Despite the prolonged emergency, the largely voluntary measures have grown less effective as exhausted Japanese increasingly ignore them.

Suga has come under fire for failing to deliver more effective measures and a convincing message to win people's support.

Suga said serious COVID-19 cases remain high and are still overwhelming many hospitals.

He called on the people to continue to work remotely and observe other social distancing measures “so that we can return to safe and prosperous daily lives.”

The extension will cover a period when Japan's government is in transition. Suga has announced that he will not run in a September 29 race for his party's leadership.

His successor in that race will almost certainly become the next prime minister.

Suga said he was forced to abandon plans for a possible snap election and personnel reshuffle ahead of the party leadership race because doing those while tacking COVID-19 “required an incredible amount of energy.”

A run in the party race on top of that became increasingly difficult for Suga, who does not belong to any party faction that would help his campaign.

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