COVID-19 pandemic Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Japan, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga extends the state of emergency to Hokkaido, Okayama, and Hiroshima prefectures from May 16 until the end of this month. He alsos declare a quasi-state of emergency in Gunma, Ishikawa, and Kumamoto prefectures from May 16 until June 13. Japan expands and extends emergency measures as cases rise across the nation © The Japan Times Sources: The Japan Times