The local governments in Japan’s Tokyo and Osaka have planned to lift COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and bars next week in light of declining infections across the country.
Restrictions on eateries serving alcohol or operating hours will no longer be in place starting on Monday, though there are concerns about a potential sixth wave of infections in winter, the local governments’ said on Thursday.
Under the request of the Tokyo metropolitan government, about 102,000 certified eateries currently stop serving alcohol by 8:00 p.m. local time and close by 9:00 p.m. local time.
In Osaka Prefecture, meanwhile, about 41,800 certified dining facilities are not allowed to provide alcohol by 8:30 p.m. local time and must close by 9:00 p.m. local time.
The metropolitan government of Tokyo plans to continue limiting the number of people who can sit at the same table to four.
However, five or more people will be allowed to eat together if they present proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
The prefectural government of Osaka will also continue to limit the number of people eating together in restaurants to four until the end of November. It also called on the public to refrain from dining for more than two hours.
Japan reported 391 daily new COVID-19 cases and 11 more deaths on Thursday. (Xinhua)-rir
