Japan recorded 31 new coronavirus cases and eight deaths on Tuesday, raising the national total to 16,925 infections and 784 deaths.
Tuesday was the 10th consecutive day that fewer than 30 new cases were recorded in the country. Daily new cases have been steadily declining over the past month; just weeks ago Japan was still reporting between 100 and 300 cases a day.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first declared a state of emergency in several affected prefectures on April 7, before extending it to the entire country on April 16. The measure was lifted last week for most prefectures.
It remains in place in eight hard-hit prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka. Tomorrow, the government is expected to decide whether and when to lift the state of emergency in those places.
