Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government announced the highest one-day spike with 189 new cases, bringing the total to 1,708 on Friday.
Tokyo’s local authorities have announced three days of rising positive cases: 144 on Wednesday and 181 on Thursday.
The government will ask businesses to close starting this weekend as part of its measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Entertainment facilities such as bars and internet cafes, universities & education centers, sports and amusement facilities, theaters, assembly halls & exhibition centers, and commercial facilities such as shopping centers, will all be asked to close from Saturday.
Restaurants will still be allowed to operate between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. local time, but will be asked to stop service of alcohol after 7 p.m.
The government of Tokyo says it will provide additional financial aid to the businesses. Businesses with one store will receive $4,600 USD (about 500,000 Japanese Yen) while businesses with more than two stores will receive $9,200 USD (1M Japanese Yen). No time frame yet has been announced on when those payments will start.
Tokyo was scheduled to host the Olympics this summer, but the Games have been postponed to 2021 because of the pandemic.
Source CNN