APR 10 , 2020. 1 hour ago – 15:45 KYODO NEWS

Restaurants and Japanese-style “izakaya” pubs in Tokyo will be requested to shut by 8 p.m. daily as part of emergency measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, the capital’s governor said on Friday.

Yuriko Koike told a press conference that restaurant operators should stop serving alcohol by 7 p.m., while allowing them to open from 5 a.m., adding the measures will take effect midnight Friday.

The central and Tokyo metropolitan governments had been at odds over which type of businesses should be targeted for special measures, and when these should take effect, since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency for seven prefectures on Tuesday.

But Koike said they reached agreement after the state dropped its plan to wait about two weeks before requesting businesses adhere to the restrictions.

“The situation of (virus) infections in Tokyo is very urgent,” said Koike, adding her administration had given “top priority to protecting the lives of Tokyo residents” in compiling the measures.

Under the metropolitan government’s plan, businesses are divided into three categories — those that will be requested to suspend operations, those to be asked to halt activities depending on circumstances, and those that can continue operating while taking measures against the virus.

Universities, cinemas, live music venues, night clubs, pachinko parlors and internet cafes are among the first group, while schools, nursery schools and welfare services fall into the second.

The last group covers medical institutions, financial services, supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels and public transport providers, among others.

The metropolitan government is expected to provide 500,000 yen ($4,610) per outlet to those that comply with business suspension requests, which will be the first to be issued by a local administration under the state of emergency declared by Abe.

Tokyo has seen the largest number of people infections among the country’s 47 prefectures, topping 1,500 with the 181 new cases confirmed on Thursday.

The initial divide between central and metropolitan government over the scope of the virus containment plan existed partly because the state was concerned about the extent of the economic impact, which could extend to other prefectures once they start applying the same rules.

The two sides made concessions in reaching agreement as they sought a speedy implementation of business suspension requests, with the number of cases already straining the country’s medical system.

CR:KYODO NEWS