Japan PM to consult health experts for possible state of emergency extension 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he will consult with infectious disease experts on whether to extend a national state of emergency to contain coronavirus infections, as some other nations begin to reopen from strict lockdowns.

Abe declared the nationwide state of emergency on April 16. The measures rely on persuasion for citizens to stay home and businesses to close as the country's laws do not provide for an enforceable lockdown.

With the current emergency declaration set to expire on May 6, at the end of the Golden Week national holidays, there are worrying signs that Japan's low testing regime has undercounted many coronavirus cases.

"We would like to consult experts' analysts and views," Abe said in Parliament about an extension of the emergency declaration, adding he wants to make a decision before the last minute.

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