Broadcasters led with reports on the GOJ’s plan to formally decide today to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency for the Tokyo region on March 21 even though Tokyo appears to be experiencing a resurgence (NHK, NTV, TV Asahi) and the resignation of Hiroshi Sasaki as the head creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics over a derogatory comment he made about a popular female entertainer (TBS, Fuji TV).

Main front-page stories in national papers included the GOJ’s moves to lift the state of emergency, the Sapporo District Court’s ruling yesterday declaring the government’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, and the Defense Ministry’s plan to establish GSDF electronic warfare units on two remote islands.