Tokyo has recorded 224 new cases of coronavirus infection on Thursday, public broadcaster NHK said, marking a new daily record in Japan’s capital since the crisis began.
The total confirmed cases surpassed the previous record of 206 recorded on April 17 when Tokyo and other major population centres were under a state of emergency.
Positive cases in Tokyo have ticked up in recent weeks as health authorities stepped up targeted testing among workers in the entertainment districts of Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.
Nationwide, Japan has had more than 20,000 confirmed cases and 980 deaths so far.
There is no need to reintroduce a state of emergency, Japan’s top government spokesman said on Thursday when asked about a record one-day rise in Tokyo coronavirus cases.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters there were 224 new cases of novel coronavirus infection in Tokyo on Thursday. That marked a new daily record in Japan’s capital since the crisis began.
About 80% of the new coronavirus cases reported on Thursday were among people in their 30s or younger, Suga said, adding that it was not possible to reduce infection risks to zero after the country’s lifting of a state of emergency in May.
