Japan declares state of emergency

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stopped short of issuing a stay-at-home order on Tuesday but urged non-essential employees to work remotely because of the spread of the new coronavirus. The monthlong emergency declaration allows the heads of seven prefectures, including Tokyo, to reinforce calls for social distancing but includes no penalties for violations.

What are things like in Japan? The prime minister cited a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo and other urban areas as the reason for declaring the state of emergency. By Tuesday, the country had confirmed more than 3,900 cases, including close to 600 recoveries and more than 90 deaths. In China, officials reported no new deaths over the past 24 hours for the first time since it officially acknowledged the outbreak.

Dig deeper: Read June Cheng’s report on disputes over China’s real death toll from the coronavirus.