Japan plans to significantly expand a state of emergency as the country racks up more than 300,000 total Covid cases.
It will expand it to seven more prefectures after the governors of Osaka, Kyoto and other prefectures requested it.
It comes as public sentiment toward going ahead with the Tokyo Olympics this year continues to fade.
In a recent survey by broadcaster NHK, just 16% said the Games should go ahead while 77% said it should be cancelled or postponed.
The state of emergency will be extended to Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Aichi, Gifu and Tochigi prefectures and is set to last until at least 7 February.
"A declaration of a state of emergency is a powerful means, based on the law, for tackling the spread of infections, but it also places big restrictions on people’s lives," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference.
"A very careful decision is therefore required of the government," he said.
The PM has been criticised for a slow and disjointed approach to the pandemic, choosing to protect the economy and staking his reputation on going ahead with the Olympic Games.
Now, even his economic adviser Takeshi Niinami said the hosting of Olympics is looking increasingly unlikely this year.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
