Japan widens virus emergency for 7 more areas as cases surge

Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency for seven more prefectures Wednesday, affecting more than half the population as infections spread across the country.

Prime Minister Yoshide Suga's announcement comes less than a week after his January 7 emergency declaration for Tokyo and three nearby prefectures. The new declaration adds seven other prefectures in western and central Japan.

The measure, which focuses on requests for bars and restaurants to close at 8 p.m. and for people to avoid nonessential outings, takes effect Thursday and lasts until February 7.

Suga has been criticized as being too slow to act as the country's number of reported coronavirus infections and deaths roughly doubled over the past month to about 3,00,000 and 4,100 respectively.