The government of Japan has placed the city of Tokyo under a state of emergency that will last throughout the Olympics amid fears that an ongoing Covid-19 surge will multiply during the Games.
The development was made known in a statement on Wednesday by the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who informed that the state of emergency would go into effect on Monday and last through August 22.
Mr Suga said the state of emergency was needed to “prevent the resurgence of the future spread of cases across the country”.
This means the Olympics, opening on July 23 and running through until August 8, will be held entirely under emergency measures.
Reports say that the main focus of the emergency is a request for bars, restaurants and karaoke parlours serving alcohol to close.
A ban on serving alcohol is a key step to tone down Olympic-related festivities and keep people from drinking and partying.
Tokyo residents are expected to face stay-home requests and to watch the Games on TV from home.
“How to stop people enjoying the Olympics from going out for drinks is a main issue,” health minister Norihisa Tamura said.
