Japan to expand COVID-19 state of emergency, extend to end of May

The Japanese government plans to expand the ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency beyond Tokyo and the Osaka area and extend it to the end of May in a bid to bring down infections and ease the strain on hospitals, senior officials said Thursday.Restrictions in effect since April 25 for eating establishments and large commercial facilities had been set to ease next Tuesday.Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to declare a state of emergency in Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures and announce the extension on Friday, the officials said.The measures in place in Tokyo and the western prefectures of Osa…READ FULL ARTICLE