Japan's Abe expands state of emergency nationwide to halt virus spread

A large screen on a building shows Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring a state of emergency, at Tokyo's famous entertainment district Kabukicho, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Tokyo, Japan on April 7, 2020. (REUTERS File Photo)

TOKYO, April 16 (Reuters): Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday expanded Japan's state of emergency to all areas of the country in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Abe said the emergency would be in place until May 6 and was aimed at reducing traffic during the Golden Week holiday season around the start of May.

Japan had previously declared a state of emergency for seven of its 47 prefectures.