The 4 passengers came to Tokyo on 2nd January and remained in isolation at the airport. After the tests, it turned out that they had COVID-19. The new variety differs from those spreading in Great Britain and South Africa. So far, the new strain has not been found to be more contagious.
The prime minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, announced a monthly emergency state last Thursday due to the pandemic in Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama.