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Report: Japan placing Tokyo under state of emergency through Olympics

As we near the official two-week countdown to the Summer Olympics, Japanese officials are planning to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is expected to announce the plans on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, which would place Tokyo under a state of emergency through Aug. 22.

The Tokyo Games are set for July 23 through Aug. 8.

>> Read more news about the Tokyo Olympics

Officials had already announced that the Olympics would take place without foreign spectators, “but the planned six-week state of emergency likely ends chances of a local audience,” The AP’s Mari Yamaguchi reports.

Yamaguchi adds, “A decision about fans is expected later Thursday when local organizers meet with the International Olympic Committee and other representatives.”

On Wednesday, Tokyo reportedly logged 920 new COVID-19 cases, marking the city’s largest daily total since 1,010 on May 13. About 15% of the country’s population is fully vaccinated, officials said.

Read more here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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