Broadcasters led with reports on Osaka’s declaration of a state of emergency for the prefecture’s healthcare system on Thursday (NHK, NTV, TV Asahi) and the 533 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Tokyo yesterday. The routes of infection were untraceable for 284 of the cases and a record high of 89 patients were aged 65 or older (TBS, Fuji TV). 

Top stories in national dailies included plans by Tokyo prosecutors to file charges against three aides to former Prime Minister Abe in connection with the payment of costs for dinner parties for supporters and to question Abe on the matter on a voluntary basis (Asahi, Sankei), a GOJ plan to introduce a vehicle emissions trading system in the late 2020s (Nikkei), the GOJ’s intention to extend the “Go To Travel” campaign until June (Mainichi), and a GOJ plan to provide tax exemptions for parenting subsidies to support households (Yomiuri).