Japan to toughen COVID-19 rules in 3 prefectures

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday that COVID-19 restrictions in the prefectures of Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Okinawa will be tightened from January 9.

Tokyo [Japan], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday that COVID-19 restrictions in the prefectures of Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Okinawa will be tightened from January 9. "We decided today to introduce tougher anti-coronavirus measures in Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Okinawa from January 9-31," he told a COVID-19 response meeting.

The three prefectures saw a record number of cases of infection on Thursday, with the country confirming over 4,000 daily for the first time since mid-September. American military bases have been widely blamed for viral spillover after it was revealed that US personnel deployed to Japan had not been tested for coronavirus since fall. (ANI/Sputnik)