Japan to fully lift COVID-19 restrictions as infections slow
ABC News
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced plans to fully lift coronavirus restrictions on March 21 as new infections driven by the highly contagious omicron variant slow
TOKYO -- Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday announced plans to fully lift coronavirus restrictions on March 21 as new infections driven by the highly contagious omicron variant slow.
The COVID-19 restrictions currently in place in 18 prefectures, including the Tokyo area, will end on Monday as planned, Kishida said at a news conference on Wednesday, as his government seeks to cautiously expand consumer activity to help the badly hurt economy get back on track.
“This will be a transitional period so that we can return to our normal daily lives as much as possible by taking maximum precautions,” Kishida said.
It will be the first time Japan has been free of virus restrictions since early January. The plan will be formally adopted after an experts’ panel endorses it on Thursday.
