Japan on Monday further eased restrictions on social and economic activities in urban areas that were imposed to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, paving the way for children to return to school in the Tokyo metropolitan area for the first time in three months with some conditions.
A week after a state of emergency in the Tokyo and Hokkaido regions was lifted amid a fall in the number of new infections, most parts of Japan have now entered the phase of putting more emphasis on rebuilding their economies battered by the pandemic, while taking precautions against a second wave of infections.
A Kyodo News survey found that 38 of Japan's 47 prefectures had completely withdrawn requests for shops and leisure facilities to suspend operations.
Some constraints remained in Tokyo, which has seen the highest number of infections in the country at about 5,250. But the capital, with a population of roughly 14 million, went ahead Monday with its second stage of loosening business restrictions, including the reopening of most facilities such as cinemas, sports gyms and cram schools.
Students wearing face masks also reunited with friends and teachers across the country, with many schools dividing them into groups and asking them to attend at different times to avoid crowding. At some schools, teachers also checked students' temperatures before they entered.
Tokyo Skytree, a major tourist draw in the capital, reopened for the first time in three months while asking visitors to wear face masks and sanitize their hands, refusing entry to those confirmed to have a fever.
"I came here wearing a face mask, but there is still a part of me that is afraid of getting infected so I want the coronavirus (pandemic) to come to an end quickly," said Tetsuo Shinyu, 56, a freelance photographer who last visited the site the day before the 634-meter tower was shut in March.
In Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo Disney Resort remained closed, while long lines formed before the opening of the neighboring Ikspiari shopping complex.
"I am now used to checking body temperature and sanitizing," said Kanae Kawashima, 49. "I will avoid crowds and will leave quickly once I finish shopping."
On May 25, Japan ended the state of emergency in the Tokyo metropolitan area that includes Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures, along with Hokkaido in northern Japan.
The five, which make up about a third of the country's economy, were the last areas still under the state of emergency, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first declared for some prefectures on April 7 and later expanded to cover the whole country.
Unlike many other countries, people in Japan were permitted to go outside and business owners were not legally compelled to halt operations under the restrictions.
But people largely complied with requests from authorities to refrain from nonessential outings.
Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, began its summer season more than a month later than the originally scheduled date of April 29.
"The animals appeared to be bored without visitors," said Gen Bando, the zoo's director, looking back at the past few weeks. "We will be happy if everyone enjoys seeing the animals."
As new infections subside and economies reopen in other parts of the world, Japan is now considering easing its entry bans on visitors from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam, according to a government source.
As of Monday, Japan had imposed entry bans covering 111 countries and regions, including the United States, most of Asia and all of Europe. The bans are currently in effect until the end of June.
To better grasp the extent of the epidemic in Japan, the health ministry began testing about 10,000 people in Tokyo and Miyagi Prefecture for coronavirus antibodies.
The tests on randomly selected residents aged 20 and above are expected to help Japan estimate how many people may become infected with the virus if there is a second wave of cases and how many would need to be vaccinated. The tests will also be conducted in Osaka Prefecture from Wednesday.
In Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, a 69-year-old man who was tested said he wanted to know whether he has antibodies, adding he did not fall ill when COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, was spreading rapidly in the country.
"I hope my data will help society," he said.
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