May 25, Tuesday, 2021 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

1. Osaka Prefecture in western Japan has decided to ask the central government to extend the prefecture’s coronavirus state of emergency now set to expire at the end of May. Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said daily new infection cases are on a declining trend, but that a resurge would clearly lead to a crisis. He added that the prefecture’s medical system continues to be overwhelmed. 2. The U.S. State Department has issued a stronger warning to its citizens against traveling to Japan due to the coronavirus situation in the country. The U.S. on Monday raised its travel advisory level for Japan by one notch to the highest on its four-tier scale—“Level 4: Do Not Travel.” It cited the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says, “Travelers should avoid all travel to Japan.”
3. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee says the United States’ elevated travel warning to Japan due to the country’s coronavirus situation will not affect the visit by its delegation to the Tokyo Games.