Japan Fears Country on ‘Brink of the Brink’ of Virus Surge
- Premier Shinzo Abe says emergency declaration not yet needed
- View clashes with call for emergency from Rakuten’s Mikitani
This article is for subscribers only.
Japan is bracing for an explosive surge in coronavirus infections cases, senior government officials said, while continuing to resist calls to declare a state of emergency to fight the pandemic.
“We are really continuing on the brink of the brink,” Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters Friday in Tokyo, one of several fresh warnings about the potential for a more widespread outbreak. Nishimura said that the government was concerned about the capital, where confirmed infections have more than doubled in a week to almost 700. Tokyo saw its biggest one-day tally of 97 on Thursday.