Tokyo reported 188 coronavirus infections Sunday after seeing over 200 cases for three straight days through Saturday, while Osaka Prefecture reported 89, its highest since the state of emergency was lifted in May, media reports said.
Sunday's figure, which brought Tokyo's cumulative total to 9,411, comes after a single-day record of 293 cases on Friday and 290 cases on Saturday.
Alarmed by what many say is an imminent second wave, Tokyo raised its alert to the highest level last Wednesday, declaring that infections are now “believed to be spreading.”
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has said the surge stems largely from increased testing capacity, which now stands at over 4,000 tests a day.
Osaka Prefecture saw more than 80 cases for two days in a row after reporting 86 on Saturday.
Given the high numbers being reported daily, economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Saturday that Japan is having second thoughts about relaxing restrictions on the number of spectators allowed into sporting and other major events.