Japan declares 4th state of emergency for Tokyo

TOKYO - Japanese government decided Thursday to put Tokyo under the fourth state of emergency over COVID-19, covering the duration of the Olympics, in an effort to curb a recent surge in infections.

The emergency state will be effective from Monday to Aug. 22, which may cause the Summer Olympic Games to be held without spectators at venues in the capital.

"We must take stronger steps to prevent another nationwide outbreak, also considering the impact of coronavirus variants," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, after finalizing the decision for a state of emergency in Tokyo and extending an existing one in Okinawa at a task force meeting Thursday evening.