Tokyo declares state of emergency as COVID-19 cases spike
Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita breaks down the top stories around the world.
Video transcript
AKIKO FUJITA: In our world view today, Japan has declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and Osaka as the country scrambles to control COVID-19 infections ahead of the Summer Olympics. The government called the restriction short and powerful, saying it was necessary to ensure the games can be held safely. Restaurants and bars will all be closed. Fans will be banned from all sporting events. And the Tokyo governor has asked that all neon signs be turned off to discourage people from going out. The emergency covers roughly a quarter of Japan's population. Tokyo reported 759 infections Friday. That is down from more than 860 the previous day.
India has set another record for daily COVID-19 infections. New cases surpassed 330,000, topping the global tally for a second straight day. The health ministry reported more than 2,200 patients died on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the government is attempting to increase oxygen supply by diverting resources away from industries with hospitals struggling to keep up with medical supplies. Those across northern and western India warned they are at capacity, though Modi insists lockdowns are still a last resort. India is a major vaccine producer, but experts say supply remains scarce, with just a fraction of the population getting the doses so far.
And leaders of Southeast Asian countries are set to gather this weekend to discuss the brutal crackdown in Myanmar. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, will meet in Jakarta to discuss a framework to end the violence. But they are already facing criticism for inviting the country's military chief. Security forces have killed hundreds of peaceful protesters since the military staged a coup in February ousting democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
