(ATR) The Japanese government intends to extend and expand a COVID-19 state of emergency to the end of May.
Kyodo News, citing senior officials, reports Japan Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide will announce the extension on Friday.
He will also expand it outside the Tokyo and Osaka area, declaring a state of emergency for Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures beginning May 12.
The current state of emergency, in effect since April 25, is due to expire on May 11 for Tokyo and the western prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo.
It includes a ban on restaurants serving alcohol and requests that department stores and movie theaters temporarily shutter.
No spectators are allowed at sports or other large events, public transportation has been cut back, and businesses are being encouraged to have employees work from home.
The new state of emergency is expected to lessen some of those restrictions, according to the Kyodo report.
Coe to Meet Hashimoto, Koike
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe is scheduled to meet separately with Tokyo 2020 president Hashimoto Seiko and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko on Friday.
The federation boss and IOC member attended the marathon test event in Sapporo on Wednesday and will be at the National Stadium on Sunday for the athletics test event.
No spectators will be allowed. It’s possible a few international athletes will be among those competing. Six foreign competitors took part in the event in Sapporo.
Skateboarding Test Event Next Week
Tokyo organizers announced on Thursday that the skateboarding test event will be held on May 13-14 at Ariake Urban Sports Park.
Twenty athletes will take part, divided equally among the genders.
Tokyo will mark the debut of skateboarding in the Olympic Games.
Written by Gerard Farek
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