Japan asks nightclubs to draft 'new steps' to operate amid fresh COVID-19 outbreak

As the bars and clubs in Japan turn into new hotspot areas for the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the economy minister urged to introduce safety measures to stem the resurgence of the COVID-19 disease. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the head for Japan’s coronavirus response team on July 9 said that the clubs and bars needed to draft “new steps” to operate in view of fresh outbreaks since the country lifted the state of emergency in late May, according to a news agency report.  

During an address to the press and state broadcasters, Yasutoshi Nishimura said that he would conduct a virtual meeting with the experts on July 10 to discuss the effectiveness of the measure to combat the fresh outbreak in high-risk areas. Further, he mentioned, the meeting would include mayors of Shinjuku and Toshima wards of Tokyo where new infections have been concentrated. Several “cabaret” clubs in the Kabukicho red-light district in Japan witnessed a new wave of cases as Nishimura noted that the administration needed to act and “take steps quickly”.  

In Akihabara electronics town, several new outbreaks of COVID-19 were recorded in clubs of the Ikebukuro’s red-light district according to media reports. Nishimura reportedly said that the host and cabaret clubs were the new hotspots and it was important to enact sweeping measures there and ensure that they thoroughly followed the safety guidelines.  

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20,371 confirmed cases of coronavirus

Last month, as Japan resumed businesses, cinemas, as well as sports clubs in the nation's capital Tokyo, the government of Japan eased border measures for overseas travellers from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand, as per reports. Mostly, the business travellers from these four countries have been allowed to travel to Japan after they test negative for COVID-19 in two separate tests, one conducted at departure in the home country and upon arrival. The exempt has been granted owing to Japan’s strong trade ties with the member nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11).  Earlier, Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe lifted the nationwide state of health emergency imposed in April to stem the spread of coronavirus. The decision was prompted to resume trade as the country entered a recession. Currently, Japan has over 20,371 confirmed cases of coronavirus, as many as 197 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours.  

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(Image Credit: AP)