Tokyo to lift all business restrictions on June 19

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will allow all businesses to reopen from June 19, according to the Nikkei business daily.

The capital of Japan has already been easing restrictions this month after the government rescinded its ‘state of alert’ warning in late May.

In a phased lifting of restrictions, public facilities such as museums and libraries were first to resume operations, followed by other facilities where people tend not to gather in overly large groups, such as theaters, according to the metropolitan government’s plans.

Come June 19, businesses that are considered high risk for the COVID-19 virus such as live music venues and theme parks will be allowed to reopen.

Following the peak of more than 700 cases on April 12, Tokyo has seen new COVID-19 cases fall to double-digit levels.

Tokyo, the hardest hit among Japan’s 47 prefectures, has seen the total number of cases crossed the 5,000 mark compared to the nationwide count of more than 17,000.