The state of emergency has been expanded beyond Tokyo and the greater Osaka region to include the prefectures of Aichi and Fukuoka.

It will remain in place until at least May 31.

Among the emergency measures, restaurants and bars will be prohibited from serving alcohol or offering karaoke services and must close by 8pm.

Department stores and cinemas will be allowed to reopen from Wednesday (May 12), but must also close by 8pm.

Also from Wednesday, spectators are set to be permitted at sporting events in the six prefectures in question, but there will be a cap of 5,000 people or 50 per cent of the venue's capacity.

"Infections continue to increase at a high pace, especially in metropolitan areas," said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, as reported by Kyodo News.

"We will thoroughly implement measures that are expected to be highly effective."

Japan's Government also extended a semi-state of emergency in Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ehime and Okinawa, with Hokkaido, Gifu and Mie also being added to this list.

Miyagi will be removed after Tuesday (May 11), as the infection rate there has fallen.

Japan reported 145 COVID-19 deaths today - a new record - and the total of new cases was above 6,000, the highest figure since January.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8, followed by the Paralympics, but there is considerable opposition to staging the event in Japan given the health crisis.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 insist the Games - already delayed by 12 months because of the pandemic - will go ahead.

Only around two per cent of Japan's population has been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The IOC announced yesterday that it had reached an agreement for developers of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to donate doses to athletes heading to the Olympics and Paralympics.