Japan eyes COVID quasi-emergency for 3 prefectures with U.S. bases

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday the government plans to declare a quasi-state of emergency for Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures, as requested by their governors who attributed surging COVID-19 cases to the spread of the Omicron strain at U.S. military bases.The government will make a final decision on Friday after consulting with experts, Kishida said, as concern has grown over a sixth wave of coronavirus infections in the country.The quasi-emergency declaration, to run from Sunday to Jan. 31 if enforced, will be the first since he took office last year with a pledge …READ FULL ARTICLE