Tokyo ready for step 2 of three-phase reopening: Governor

Tokyo will remove shutdown requests on more businesses in June when theaters, cinemas, fitness gyms, and retailers can reopen after a coronavirus state of emergency ended this week. Governor Yuriko Koike says Tokyo is ready to move to Step 2 of a three-phase roadmap designed to gradually reopen businesses in the city.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared an end to a seven-week emergency on Monday, saying the infections have subsided enough to resume social and economic activity under a "new normal" requiring physical distancing and other disease prevention measures. Tokyo reported 22 new cases Friday, triggering concerns of underlying risk and a possible second wave of infections. Koike says infections are not accelerating and hospitals have space.

Libraries, museums, and schools, considered to be the lowest risk, reopened in Tokyo this week. Under Step 2, theaters, cinemas, fitness gyms, cram schools, and retailers can resume businesses. Night clubs, karaoke, and live music houses, which are considered more prone to infections, will be last.

Even though its emergency measures only involved requests for social distancing and some business closures, Japan so far has about 16,700 cases and 870 deaths, significantly fewer than many other countries.