Japan has lifted a nationwide state of emergency, with the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring the country’s ‘unique’ approach to coronavirus has mostly contained its spread in just six weeks.
Key points:
- Japan has experienced about 840 COVID-19 deaths
- The disaster declaration has now been lifted in all 47 regions
- The world’s third largest economy is now in a technical recession
The disaster declaration was implemented on April 7 across Japan, but it largely depended on voluntary compliance, with almost no penalties if people did not comply with Government requests.
Mr Abe asked that citizens work from home, schools stay closed and non-essential businesses shut their doors or limit their trading hours.
The lockdown was gradually lifted in 42 of Japan’s 47 regions.
After six weeks of falling infectio