Japan eyes tighter virus steps as severe cases in Tokyo jump

[TOKYO] As Japan returned to work Tuesday following a holiday weekend, regional and national authorities moved toward boosting restrictions designed to contain the spread of a coronavirus surge.

A campaign to spur domestic travel, which some have blamed for spreading infections, will be partly suspended. The metropolitan region of Osaka, where cases have spiked, plans to ask bars and restaurants to close early, while Tokyo was reported to be making plans for similar steps as serious cases jumped to a new high in the city.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike last week said that severe cases, rather than sheer number of infections, were her "red line" that would spur further action. Those cases, which the area defines as those on a ventilator or ECMO machine, jumped 24 per cent overnight to a total of 51, the most Tokyo has seen during the pandemic.

The local government is debating what level should be used to trigger a request that would ask stores to close early, local media have reported. Broadcaster FNN, reporting before today's data was released, said that 50 or 75 cases had been suggested as a possible level that could trigger restrictions. Tokyo reported 186 new cases on Tuesday, though that figure was likely lower than recent days due to slower testing during the holiday weekend.

The country posted a total of 1,520 cases on Monday, the first time in six days that infections fell below 2,000 cases. While the level of infections isn't as dramatic as those in Europe and the US, the outbreak is raising concerns amid similar spikes in Asian regions from Hong Kong to South Korea as winter approaches.

Travel Subsidy Other regional authorities are also pushing ahead with steps to contain the surge in their local areas. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura plans to ask bars and restaurants serving alcohol to close from 9pm for 15 days starting Friday, Kyodo reported, after the region saw more than 400 cases on both Saturday and Sunday and infections grow among older people.

The "Go To Travel" subsidy program for those destined for Osaka and Sapporo will also be suspended, according to public broadcaster NHK. The move comes after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said over the weekend that Japan would partly halt the campaign in areas where cases are increasing, without specifying the places affected.

"It is obvious that positive diagnoses are increasing due to the movement of people," Ms Koike earlier told a press conference. "It's necessary to look at how to restrain this active movement of people." Ms Koike is set to meet Mr Suga to discuss Tokyo's involvement with the program later Tuesday.

Severe Cases Japan's government lacks the legal means for a harsh lockdown, but has been effective in requesting businesses and citizens to voluntarily take measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Severe cases nationwide, which uses a broader definition than Tokyo's, rose to 331 as of Monday, surpassing the peak reached during the April state of emergency. Similar regional restrictions during a summer surge helped bring an increase in cases under control.

While Mr Suga has called for the utmost state of caution, national authorities are still reluctant to take steps that would reduce spending. Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters on Tuesday that economic growth should not be halted and that the travel campaign should be responded to appropriately, while also indicating that the program could still be extended next year.

"We'll take the most appropriate response as needed on the travel campaign while looking at the virus spread," Mr Aso said. "We can't just stop the economy from growing."

BLOOMBERG