Japan to impose emergency state amid coronavirus pandemic

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe will declare a state of emergency from April 7 in a bid to stop the coronavirus spreading across the country, as the cumulative number of infections topped 1,000 in Tokyo alone.

A state of emergency would restrict individual rights, allowing prefectural governors to call for specific action to prevent the spread of the virus, according to local media.

As of Sunday, the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Japan jumped to 4,563, including some 700 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, while 104 people have lost their lives so far.