Japan: Osaka now seeks state of emergency as new Tokyo Covid-19 infections top 2,000

A woman wearing protective a face mask is seen at an open-air restaurant during the government declared the second state of emergency for the capital and some prefectures, amid coronavirus disease outbreak, in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday (Jan 9, 2021). - Reuters

TOKYO, Jan 9 (Reuters): Osaka and its surrounding prefectures asked Japan to expand a state of emergency to the western cities in an effort to contain the latest Covid-19 outbreak, while Tokyo's new daily infections keep above 2,000 cases on Saturday.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, the country's economy minister, told media the situation in the western cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo was severe and the declaration of a wider state of emergency was being considered after a request from the cities' governors.