Japan PM Abe lifts coronavirus state of emergency

TOKYO: Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted the state of emergency imposed nationally to combat coronavirus following a sharp decline in the number of new cases.
"We had very stringent criteria for lifting the state of emergency. We have judged that we have met this criteria," Abe told a nationally televised news conference.
"Today we will lift the state of emergency nationwide," he said.