The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 331 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, hovering above 300 daily cases for the fourth straight day.

Okinawa Prefecture, meanwhile, confirmed 159 new cases, hitting a fresh daily high, in yet another sign the virus pandemic has spread across Japan.

The daily tallies have been running high in Tokyo since late July and hit a daily record of 472 on Aug. 1. Sunday's figure, down from 429 on Saturday, brought the capital's cumulative total to 15,867.

The nation's daily tally has been high as well, with 1,289 confirmed cases on Sunday after a record 1,598 two days earlier.

That brought Japan's cumulative total infections to about 49,000, with the death toll at 1,061.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to step up efforts to curb the virus spread so the government will not need to declare another state of emergency.

"We must take measures to prevent declaring another state of emergency," Abe told reporters in Nagasaki after attending a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city.

He stressed the need to rein in the virus spread without undermining the economy and employment.

Abe also said the government is not asking citizens across the board to refrain from traveling and visiting their hometowns during the Bon summer holiday which started this weekend.

However, the prime minister repeated calls for citizens to take preventative steps against the virus, including avoiding the "3 Cs" -- closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings.

In Okinawa, Sunday's tally, up from the previous record of 100 logged Friday, brought the prefecture's cumulative total to 1,127.

Separately, the Okinawa government said four people stationed at U.S. bases in Okinawa were infected, bringing the total cases involving U.S. military members in the southern island prefecture to 314.