Some Japan advisers urge national COVID-19 emergency as cases surge -minister

FILE PHOTO: Japan's Minister in charge of economic revitalisation and measures for the novel coronavirus pandemic Yasutoshi Nishimura attends a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

TOKYO (Reuters) - Some members of a government expert panel warned that a recent surge in COVID-19 cases was severe enough to impose a nationwide state of emergency, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of the pandemic response, said on Thursday.

Nishimura, at a news conference, said the panel ultimately agreed to a government proposal to expand emergency restrictions to eight more prefectures.

(Reporting by Linda Sieg; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

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