Japan declares state of emergency for Tokyo area as Covid-19 cases surge

Pedestrians wearing protective masks, following the Covid-19 outbreak, walk out of a station during a commuting hour at a business district in Tokyo, Japan, January 7, 2021. [Reuters]

Japan declared a limited state of emergency in the capital, Tokyo, and three neighbouring prefectures on Thursday to stem the spread of the coronavirus, resisting calls from some medics for wider curbs due to the economic damage they would cause.