Using our full resources during the next one month

Ten days have passed since the Tokyo Metropolitan Government adopted emergency measures following the declaration of a state of emergency by the national government on April 7. I am requesting the people of Tokyo to stay at home to all extent possible in order to greatly reduce person-to-person contact and curb the spread of infection. I have requested various facilities to suspend or curb operations from April 11 to May 6. Nothing is more important than the lives and health of the people of Tokyo and we must also protect at all costs the healthcare settings that support them. Under this strong conviction, we quickly advanced negotiations with the national government, which led to promptly requesting a broad range of facilities to suspend or curb business operations early on. I am deeply grateful to the citizens of Tokyo and business operators for their cooperation.

Experts have indicated that in order to bring infections under control within around a month, it is necessary to reduce person-to-person contact by 80 percent. Protect yourself. Protect your family and the people you care for. Protect our society. To do that, the fight against this virus must not drag on. We will devote all our resources during this one month to somehow realize an 80 percent reduction in contact, and I hope to overcome this difficult situation as soon as possible together with the members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the citizens of Tokyo. I ask for your continued understanding and cooperation.