Japan likely to extend COVID-19 state of emergency: sources

TOKYO - A growing number of people in the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Japan's ruling party believe it will be necessary to extend the state of emergency for parts of the country continuing to see a high number of coronavirus cases, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.The state of emergency, which entails urging the public to refrain from going outside unnecessarily and asking restaurants and bars to shorten their opening hours, could remain in place until the end of February, the sources said. The current end date is Feb. 7.The government will ask health ex…READ FULL ARTICLE