Japan extends virus emergency with safe Olympics at stake

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for 20 more days, with infections still not slowing as it prepares to host the Olympics in just over 50 days. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says the decision was made because cases remain high and medical systems in Osaka, the hardest-hit area in western Japan, are still overburdened. The Olympics are scheduled to start July 23 after a one-year postponement due to the pandemic, and worries about new variants and Japan’s slow vaccination rollout have triggered calls from the public, medical experts and even a sponsor to cancel the games.