Japan to fully lift coronavirus restrictions as infections slow

(Eugene Hoshiko/AP)

Japan’s Prime Minister has announced plans to fully lift coronavirus restrictions on March 21 as new infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant slow.

The Covid-19 restrictions currently in place in 18 prefectures, including the Tokyo area, will end on Monday as planned, Fumio Kishida said at a news conference on Wednesday, as his government seeks to cautiously expand consumer activity to help the badly damaged economy get back on track.