TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and four other prefectures on Monday, ending seven weeks of economic restrictions and ushering in an uncertain "new normal."
In a news conference, Abe highlighted the turnaround his government engendered during the crisis, which saw Japan's hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games evaporate. The prolonged stay-at-home request has also severely damaged his support and the nation's economic recovery, his government's most significant achievement.
