TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will declare a state of emergency over the coronavirus as early as Tuesday and will likely announce his plans to do so on Monday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
Under a law revised in March to cover the coronavirus, the prime minister can declare a state of emergency if the disease poses a “grave danger” to lives and if its rapid spread could have a huge impact on the economy. The virus has already increased Japan’s recession risk.
The move would give governors in hard-hit regions added authority to ask people to stay home, cancel events, and close schools and other public facilities.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Tom Hogue)
