Japan PM to extend COVID quasi-emergency

Japan's prime minister on Wednesday announced plans to extend COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo and 12 other areas for three more weeks as cases of the omicron variant remain high.

Fumio Kishida said he planned to hold a virus task force meeting and would be "careful about the risk of hindering the maintenance of social economic activities." The rollout of booster vaccines has also been criticized as too slow, with only about 7.2% of Japan's population fully vaccinated with three shots.   Kishida has pledged to deliver around one million boosters a day by later this month. On Wednesday, Japan confirmed over 92,000 cases nationwide, with Tokyo reporting 18,287.