Photo/Illutration The Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo’s Minato Ward is lit up in red to signify a “Tokyo alert” on June 2, calling for increased vigilance against a new wave of COVID-19 infections. (Kotaro Ebara)

The lifting of the "Tokyo alert" for the capital is coming under intense criticism as cases of new coronavirus infection continue to surge in the metropolis of 14 million people.

But Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is standing by her decision, announcing that the metropolitan government will revise its numerical guidelines for issuing the edict even as it acknowledges the rise in new cases.

The move came as even members of the Tokyo metropolitan government began to question the meaning of the alert, given that it was lifted just 10 days after being issued on June 2.

The daily number of new infections in Tokyo topped 40 for the second straight day on June 15, exceeding two of the main three benchmarks set as criteria for the alert calling for increased vigilance against a possible second wave of outbreaks.

However, the metropolitan government chose not to re-issue the alert, but revise the guidelines instead.

The three main benchmarks now are: when the average daily number of new cases hits 20 or more over the most recent week; when the average of the ratio of patients whose sources of infection are unknown is 50 percent or more over the same week; and when the weekly rate of growth in infections from the previous week is 1.0 or more.

The metropolitan government issued the alert on June 2, saying that the second and third criteria were being met. The Tokyo government building in the Shinjuku district and the Rainbow Bridge that spans northern Tokyo Bay were illuminated in red to signify the alert.

Although the measure did not help reduce the size of crowds in entertainment districts, the metropolitan government lifted the alert on June 11, saying the infection situation in the capital no longer met any of the three benchmarks. Tokyo moved to “Step 3” of its three-stage road map to ease business restrictions as well.

“I think the Tokyo alert served its purpose since we haven’t seen surges in the number (of infections in the capital),” said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike upon lifting the alert.

However, even metropolitan assembly members and senior Tokyo government officials close to Koike expressed doubts over the decision to lift the alert so soon.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to lift the alert since we have yet to ascertain how people’s movement affected the spread of infections after it was issued,” said one. “Why did the metropolitan government rush to lift the alert?”

As they had feared, the daily tally in the capital exceeded 20 for the first time in five days on June 11, when the alert was lifted. The number jumped to 47 on June 14 and to 48 on June 15, meeting the first and third benchmarks of the Tokyo alert.

Yet, the metropolitan government deems it unnecessary to issue the Tokyo alert again or reimpose business restrictions, saying it can trace routes of infections of many cases.

The capital confirmed a surge of cases from June 14, including in-hospital infections.

Most of those confirmed cases, 32 on June 14 and 23 on June 15, had their roots in nightlife districts, such as host clubs and similar establishments.

“We will not make any particular response (to the rise in the cases),” Koike told reporters on June 15.

The metropolitan government the same day formed a working group that includes health experts to revise the guidelines for issuing the Tokyo alert and improve ways to notify residents when it is back in effect.

People are increasingly venturing out as business closure requests for almost all sectors have been lifted.

The metropolitan government said it decided to revise the alert to better reflect the actual infection status, thereby balancing infection prevention and resuming economic activity.

(This article was written by Yusuke Nagano and Rihito Karube.)

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