Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga explains at his Feb. 2 news conference why the state of emergency for the novel coronavirus pandemic was being extended for 10 prefectures. (Pool)
Although Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologized on Feb. 2 for extending the state of emergency in 10 prefectures, experts blasted his government for failing to present new measures to end the novel coronavirus crisis.
They warned that without an exit strategy and lacking specific plans to ease the strain on medical facilities, the government may be unable to lift the state of emergency by the new deadline of March 7.
During his news conference on Feb. 2, Suga apologized to the public for failing to bring the COVID-19 health crisis under control before the original state of emergency deadline of Feb. 7 for 11 prefectures.