The measure was initially declared on April 7 across seven regions experiencing a spike in infections but was later expanded to cover the entire country.

With the initial month-long period coming to an end next week after the country’s annual Golden Week holidays, local media reported that Abe was now expected to extend the measure, either until the end of May or for another full month until June 6.

In Parliament on Thursday, Abe said the country’s healthcare system continues to face an “extremely tough situation”, Reuters reported.

He told lawmakers on Wednesday that “even now, we are seeing new infections”, adding: “Can we say on May 6 the state of emergency is over? I think severe situations are continuing.”

Local media including the Nikkei newspaper reported the government would convene a panel of experts on Friday to discuss the virus and the state of emergency, adding that the experts had already informally backed a move to extend the measures.

It was not yet clear when any extension would be announced, but Abe has said he will not wait until the last minute, to allow business and institutions including schools time to prepare accordingly.

The declaration has limited effect compared to measures seen in some parts of Europe and elsewhere. It allows governors to call on people to stay home and urge businesses to close, but there are no punishments for those who fail to comply.

Regional governors have already voiced support for the extension of the state of emergency, with many of them also suggesting that the school year starts now be moved from its usual April to September, as schools in most of the country have been closed since March.

Japan has so far seen a relatively limited outbreak compared to parts of Europe and the United States, with around 14,000 infections recorded so far and 415 deaths.

But it has faced criticism for carrying out comparatively few tests, which some critics argue leaves the actual rate of infection in the country unclear.

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Japan, which tests only people with symptoms of the coronavirus, has so far recorded more than 8,000 infections with nearly 200 deaths.

Reports in Japanese media citing an undisclosed health ministry projection said fatalities could reach the 400,000 mark without mitigation measures. It also estimated that as many as 850,000 people could need ventilators.

Japan has seen an accelerating infection rate in recent weeks, particularly in Tokyo. The government has responded by declaring an emergency in Tokyo and six other areas including Osaka, and a goal to cut interactions between people by 70 percent.

The measures include a request that people isolate and businesses close, although there are no fines or penalties to force compliance. The government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, urged people to do everything in their power to help the government reach its target.

Japan’s capital reported more than 125 new cases on Wednesday, according to public broadcaster NHK.

A lawmaker, Takashi Takai, was forced to resign from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan on Wednesday after the media reported he had visited a bar in Tokyo despite the call to stay at home.

As Suga was calling for cooperation, his boss Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was coming under pressure to add a ¥100,000 ($935) payment to every citizen on top of a $1 trillion economic stimulus package that includes a ¥300,000 payment to households whose income has fallen because of the pandemic.

“I’ve urged the prime minister to make a decision and send a strong message of solidarity to the public,” Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of the Komeito party, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, told reporters after meeting Abe.

Other allies calling for action include Toshihiro Nikai a leading member of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Speaking at his regular afternoon briefing, Suga said the government would consider further measures, but that for now it wanted “to extend help to households most affected.”

Japan said on Wednesday that the number of foreign visitors in March plummeted by 93 percent compared to last year. Abe has identified tourism as an economic growth driver.

The US military extended a public health emergency to all of its bases in Japan. Since April 6, the emergency had applied only to the eastern Kanto region which includes Tokyo.

That health emergency, which affects the largest concentration of US military personnel in Asia, will remain in effect until May 15, more than a week beyond the planned May 6 end of the Japanese government’s emergency declaration. It gives commanders the authority to enforce compliance with health measures on anyone accessing US bases, including thousands of local residents who work as engineers and service personnel.

Abe will decide this weekend whether to extend the Japanese government’s emergency declaration after consulting with medical experts, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.

A key metric will be if new daily infections in Tokyo can be kept to around a hundred, the sources said. They asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

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