Japan to lift emergency state for Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo

People wearing face masks shop at a mall in Yokohama near Tokyo on May 19, 2020. Japan ended of the state of emergency for most regions of the country, but restrictions are being kept in place in Tokyo and seven other high-risk areas. (AP)

• Tokyo and four other prefectures, including the northern island of Hokkaido, would remain under the state of emergency

TOKYO: Japan will lift its state of emergency in Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo on Thursday as the number of new coronavirus infections drops, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday, with the country eager to revive its battered economy.
Tokyo and four other prefectures, including the northern island of Hokkaido, would remain under the state of emergency — which has already been lifted for much of the country.