The Japanese government has decided to fully lift its state of emergency measures against the COVID-19 outbreak following recent declines in infections in the country.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a press conference on Monday that state of emergency measures that have remained in place in four Tokyo metropolitan regions and Hokkaido since April 7 will be lifted. 

The other 42 Japanese prefectures saw the measures lifted on May 14 or last Thursday. 

Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told the steering committee of the upper chamber of the National Diet that the recent decline in infections, medical readiness and surveillance render the measures unnecessary. 

The number of new coronavirus cases reported in Japan remained below 40 for the seventh consecutive day through Sunday but rose to 42 on Monday.