The government plans to extend quasi-emergency priority measures in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Hyogo, Kanagawa and Kyoto prefectures for about another two weeks, according to sources.
Priority measures are currently in force in 31 prefectures through March 6. An official decision will be made this week.
The Cabinet Secretariat said the occupancy rate of hospital beds remained high in the six prefectures as of Sunday: 54% in Tokyo, 77% in Osaka, 66% in Aichi, 69% in Hyogo, 70% in Kanagawa and 72% in Kyoto. When the government announced the lifting of priority measures in Yamagata, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Oita and Okinawa prefectures on March 18, it cited an occupancy rate of below 50% as one of the criteria for doing so.
