TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga extended the state of emergency for the Tokyo Metropolitan area and Okinawa on Friday amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Tokyo and Okinawa were under a state of emergency until Aug. 22, but Suga has now extended it until Aug. 31.

Suga also expanded a state of emergency to four other prefectures — Saitama, Chiba, Osaka and Kanagawa — in effect until Aug. 31.

“Infection is expanding with unprecedented speed in the Tokyo Metropolitan and Osaka area, and the more infectious delta variant is replacing rapidly," Suga said on Friday.

"If the increase of infection does not stop, the severe symptoms cases will increase and the medical system may possibly be further under strain."

Suga also imposed a quasi-state of emergency for Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka.

This comes as Tokyo has seen record numbers of new COVID-19 cases this week, topping more than 3,000 new cases for the third day in a row.

Japan also topped 10,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time on Thursday. All this as Tokyo 2020 continues with its seventh day of official competition.

Suga had previously said that “the government is dealing with the situation with a strong sense of urgency." — CNN