Japan decides to lift COVID-19 quasi-emergency in 3 prefectures

The Japanese government decided Thursday to lift the COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency in three prefectures after this weekend, having deemed infections are steadily declining and the strain on hospitals has eased.Restrictions in Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto including a ban on restaurants serving alcohol will be lifted at the end of Sunday as scheduled.The government will wait for next week to make a similar call on five other prefectures that are under the quasi-state of emergency -- Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu and Mie -- as well as 10 prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka under a full-…READ FULL ARTICLE