Japan imposes new virus measures on Osaka

Japan imposed new COVID-19 measures on Osaka and two other areas Monday as infection cases rise there, with less than four months before the Tokyo Olympics. The city's dining establishments need to close by 8 p.m. and Osaka residents will be asked to stay indoors at night to prevent large gatherings.

Osaka, neighboring Hyogo and Miyagi in the north have had sharp increases in daily cases since early March, soon after Japan scaled down a partial and non-binding state of emergency that began in January.

Japan lifted the state of emergency in the Tokyo area March 21, fully ending the measures aimed at slowing the coronavirus and relieving pressure on medical systems treating COVID-19 patients.