RESTRICTIONS STILL IN PLACE
8 prefectures in Japan continue to stay in the state of emergency to 31 May 2020.
MEASURES
- On 14 May, the government has announced to lift the state of emergency for 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures. The emergency state will continue for the rest of the prefectures, including Hokkaido, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hyogo. The decision to lift the emergency state was made based on the epidemiological trend, medical capacity and surveillance system of the prefecture.
- For prefectures which are no longer in the state of emergency, people are disallowed to make non-essential outing to prefectures which stay in the state of emergency. However, they are allowed to travel across prefectures which emergency state has been lifted. In addition, people are allowed to attend to large-scale events that up to about 100 for indoor event and 200 for outdoor event.
- For prefectures which are still under the state of emergency, any non-essential outings crossing any prefecture will be refrained.
- Most of the actions will still decided by the local governors for activities in the prefectures, including operation of non-essential businesses.
IMPACT ON FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- On 15 May, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) issued the latest food supply status in Japan. In order to meet the demands of consumers, the manufacturers (flour and flour products) continue to operate in full production and some of the manufacturers (instant noodles, retort food) will continue to increase their production to support the adequate supply of food.
- In the revised Basic Policies for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control dated on 14 May, for prefectures stay in state of emergency, the food and beverage supply (agriculture, forestry, fishery, importing, manufacturing, processing, distribution, and online shopping of food and beverages, etc) are required to continue to operate. Also, for food services businesses (canteens, restaurants, coffee shops, home delivery and take-out, retailers of daily necessities) are requested to operate throughout the state of emergency too.