A state of emergency that was in place in five COVID-19 hotspots in Japan, including Tokyo, has been lifted.
Earlier on Monday, the Japanese government's coronavirus panel expressed support for lifting the emergency declaration that had been in place for more than a month.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed the decision at a news conference later in the day.
With the removal of the restrictions imposed on the remaining five prefectures that make up about a third of the country's economy, the Japanese economy is expected to slowly regain vigor.
Currently, more than 16,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Japan, and the outbreak there has killed over 800.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
