TOKYO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan's health ministry and local governments said that 62 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed nationwide on Friday as of 6:30 p.m. local time, with 40 of them being in Tokyo as the capital approaches a "soft" lockdown this weekend.
The total number of infections in Japan has now risen to 1,463 cases, according to the latest figures.
The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at a total of 59 people, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, close to Tokyo.
Of the 1,463 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan, the majority are in Japan's capital city of Tokyo, which has confirmed 299 cases.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has requested a "soft" lockdown for the capital, asking that people in Tokyo stay at home this weekend due to the spike in the number of infections recorded in the capital recently, with 41 daily cases recorded earlier this week, more than doubling the previous daily record of just 17.
On Tuesday, Tokyo overtook Hokkaido as the prefecture with the most cases of COVID-19 infections in the country.
"Tokyo is facing an important phase in preventing an explosive rise in the number of infections," Koike said on the matter, also calling on those in Tokyo to work from home and, as much as possible, to avoid going out in the evenings.
With some of Tokyo's most famous municipal parks being partially closed this weekend as the region's cheery blossom viewing season peaks, some of Tokyo's surrounding prefectures have also requested their residents do not visit the capital this weekend.
Meanwhile, according to the latest data, Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido recorded 169 COVID-19 cases, Aichi Prefecture 157 cases, while Osaka Prefecture has confirmed 156 COVID-19 infections, health ministry and local authorities said Friday.
The health ministry also said there are currently a total of 65 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators to receive respiratory assistance or have been admitted to intensive care units for medical treatment.
The ministry added that in total, 960 people have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved.
