The state of emergency in Tokyo and surrounding areas is no longer in effect from Sunday.

The Japanese government decided this more than four months before the start of the Olympic Games.

The state of emergency was instituted at the beginning of January due to the sharp increase in the number of corona cases in the Japanese metropolis.

For example, the catering industry had to stop serving alcohol every evening at 7 p.m. and close its doors an hour later. After 8:00 p.m., residents of Tokyo and surrounding regions had to stay indoors as much as possible.

“We have only just started vaccinating. Until we are done, we must remain vigilant, ”said Yuriko Koike, the Tokyo governor.

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is on July 23.