Pandemic fatigue complicates Japan's COVID fight, risks recovery delay

TOKYO: Japan's state of emergency restrictions are not curbing movement as effectively as in the past, according to mobility data, hurting the government's fight to slow COVID-19 infections and raising the risk the economic recovery could be delayed.

A surge in Delta variant cases forced the government to extend on Tuesday its fourth state of emergency by around two weeks through Sept. 12 and expand targeted areas to nearly 60% of the population. After repeated stop-and-go curbs, however, voluntary requests to stay home may be falling on deaf ears among the pandemic-fatigued population, with mobility data pointing to a recent spike in movement around train stations in the country.