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3.56pm BST

According to Associated Press, Tokyo has asked Japan’s central government for permission to implement emergency measures to curb a rapidly spreading coronavirus variant, just three months before the start of the Olympics.

Tokyo’s governor, Yuriko Koike, has asked the government to allow her to issue binding orders under a new virus prevention law enacted in February, which includes penalties for business owners who defy measures and compensation for those who comply.

Tokyo’s step follows Osaka in western Japan, which declared a medical emergency after its hospitals became overwhelmed with new cases.

3.44pm BST

Hello, this is Rhi Storer taking over from my colleague Yohannes Lowe. Please feel free to send any contributions over to rhi.storer@guardian.co.uk or alternatively you can message me on Twitter. Thanks in advance.

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Source: The Guardian