Japan decides to end COVID-19 emergency in Tokyo area on March 21

The Japanese government formally decided Thursday to end the COVID-19 state of emergency in the Tokyo region on Sunday as planned as infections have declined from their peak and the strain on hospitals has eased.The move comes as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga seeks to revive a pandemic-stricken economy and step up preparations for this summer's Tokyo Olympics, though there is concern over easing restrictions amid signs of a resurgence of infections.Suga formally announced the lifting of the state of emergency in Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures, the last areas o…READ FULL ARTICLE