Staff at Mitsukoshi Department Store’s Nihonbashi outlet in Tokyo prepare notices warning shoppers of a temporary closure except for food and cosmetic corners on April 24. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)
Residents of Tokyo and three other prefectures found their daily lives dramatically restricted April 25 as a 17-day state of emergency kicked in because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Department stores began operating in a strictly limited capacity, numerous restaurants opened but were not allowed to sell alcohol, while most museums and cultural facilities, along with cinema complexes, shut their doors.
Many amusement parks also decided to temporarily close, but sports events will be held without spectators in principle.