Sunday’s Yomiuri wrote that it has learned from multiple GOJ sources that the GOJ is making arrangements to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency currently in place for 21 prefectures, including Tokyo and its three surrounding prefectures, for two to three more weeks beyond the scheduled ending date on Sept. 12. The paper wrote that although the GOJ may end the emergency on Sept. 12 as planned in prefectures where the healthcare situation for coronavirus patients has improved, the emergency declaration will likely remain in place in most of the prefectures. Tuesday’s Asahi wrote that the GOJ is planning to make a formal decision on the matter as early as Thursday after consulting with experts.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s Mainichi wrote that the GOJ is considering extending the current COVID-19 state of emergency beyond Sept. 12 for Tokyo and its three surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, as well as Gifu, Aichi, and Mie in the Tokai region and Kyoto, Osaka, and Hyogo in the Kansai region. Monday’s Nikkei ran a similar report, adding that the GOJ will closely monitor the occupancy rates of hospital beds and the number of seriously ill patients in deciding whether to maintain the emergency declaration to avoid putting additional strain on Japan’s medical care system.