Trains packed with commuters as Japan fully ends emergency

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo’s train stations were packed with commuters Friday morning as Japan fully came out of a coronavirus state of emergency for the first time in more than six months. The country has started gradually easing virus measures to help rejuvenate the pandemic-hit economy as infections slowed. Emergency measures had been in place for more than half of the country including Tokyo until they ended Thursday. The lifting of the emergency marked a fresh start for some people. One office worker said he was just returning to the train station after working from home for more than a year. Another office worker commuting Friday said she “will stay vigilant and carry on my life as usual.”