Japan extends state of emergency nationwide amid coronavirus

TOKYO (REUTERS): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expended the country’s state of emergency to all areas of the countries in order to contain the outbreak of coronavirus.

According to an international news agency, the declaration now covers all 47 prefectures in the country of around 126 million people.

Some governors had asked the central government to include their prefectures amid fears of growing infections.

The Japanese Prime Minister said, “I decided to put all prefectures under the state of emergency to curb infections in respective areas and especially to keep the movement of people to a minimum heading into the Golden Week holidays.”

He also said that the government will provide cash handouts of 100,000 yen ($930) to all citizens, adding that he also approved a rare reworking of a state budget days before its planned submission to parliament.

The announcement came a week after Abe declared a month-long state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, and five other prefectures, affecting roughly 45 percent of the country’s population.