Tokyo, Jan 3 (TIWN) The Japanese government will consider whether to declare another state of emergency over the Covid-19 pandemic, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of Japan's Covid response, has said.

“We agreed that we are in a severe situation that warrants us considering the declaration of a state of emergency," the Kyodo News agency quoted Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan’s minister in charge for the coronavirus response, as saying.

This move came amid a request from the governors of Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures where a resurgence of infections has strained the medical system.

We will hear the opinions of experts before deciding on the issue, the minister stressed.

Yasutoshi met with Yuriko Koike, Tokyo governor and the leaders of the Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectural governments.