Japan says it is considering extending a coronavirus state of emergency in the capital, Tokyo and other major urban areas.
The move could cast doubt on the planned Summer Olympics.
Senior government ministers are scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss an extension.
The government is expected to make an official decision as early as Friday as it battles a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Extending the measures, which were imposed in April 2021, is likely to fan persistent concerns about whether the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to begin on July 23, can be held as planned.
The games have already been delayed, once from 2021, due to the pandemic
Under the state of emergency in Tokyo and other urban areas, the government required restaurants, bars, and karaoke parlours serving alcohol to close.
