People wearing protective masks make their way during rush hour at Shinagawa station on the first day after the Japanese government lifted the state of emergency in Tokyo, Japan, May 26, 2020.REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
TOKYO— Japan’s daily coronavirus infection tally rose to record 1,731 on Saturday, hitting a new high for a third straight day, public broadcaster NHK said.
Tokyo on Saturday confirmed 352 infections of the new coronavirus, exceeding 300 for a fourth straight day, data from the Metropolitan Government showed.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday the nation did not need another state of emergency to tackle the pandemic, even though it was seeing record numbers of new daily cases as the weather turns cold.
The government first adopted a state of emergency in April and lifted it late the following month.
Japan is shifting toward easing restrictions to boost the economy, such as promoting domestic travel, and preparing for next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympics.