田村厚労相、緊急事態「延長視野に」　専門家の評価踏まえ

　田村憲久厚生労働相は２５日の閣議後記者会見で、政府が東京、大阪など９都道府県を対象に今月末を期限に発令している新型コロナウイルス対策の緊急事態宣言について、「延長することも当然視野に入れながら、最終的には専門家の評価を参考に判断したい」と述べた。
　田村氏は、感染者数について「全国的に見ると減少に転じているが、地域によっては十分に収まっていない」と指摘。「東京だと安定的に（１日）５００人、大阪でも３００人強を下回らないといけない」と述べた。（2021/05/25-12:42）

The Japanese government is considering extending the coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and seven other prefectures, currently set to expire May 31, health minister Norihisa Tamura said Tuesday.
   "We'll make a final decision based on views of experts, of course keeping in mind a possible extension," Tamura told a press conference.
   The number of new coronavirus cases "has begun to fall nationwide," Tamura said. "But infections haven't subsided enough in some areas."
   He added that the daily number of coronavirus cases needs to fall below 500 continuously in Tokyo and 300 in the western prefecture of Osaka.
   Tamura said that a decision to lift the state of emergency will be made after the coronavirus situation improves to Stage 3, the second-worst level on the country's four-tier coronavirus alert system, and then close to Stage 2.