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The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday confirmed a record 286 new infections in the capital, with the latest figure surpassing the previous daily record of 243 cases recorded last Friday.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said earlier Thursday the figure would likely top the 280-mark, with the new record of COVID-19 cases being a result of increased testing.
The latest figure compares to 165 new COVID-19 infections reported a day earlier which remained below 200 for the third straight day, although the number of daily cases has topped 100 since July 2, with the latest daily infection tally marking the eight straight day of three digit cases.
Up until July 12, the capital of 14 million people saw cases surpass 200 for four straight days, with untraceable cases, of most concern to officials, doubling in the July 8 to 14 period from a week earlier.
The number of infections in the capital has been increasing since the state of emergency was completely lifted on May 25.
The metropolitan government amid a recent uptick in cases has raised its coronavirus alert level to the highest on its four tier scale.
A reading of four means that "infections are spreading" and as such, Tokyo residents have been urged to refrain from making nonessential trips across prefectural borders in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus to other prefectures.
It has also requested that people do not visit nighttime entertainment spots that have not taken the necessary virus prevention measures.
As well as concerns about infections rising in downtown nighttime entertainment districts in Tokyo, the city has also been dealing with localized infection clusters at a theater in Shinjuku Ward, welfare centers as well as nurseries, amid concerns over the virus' resurgence.
Tokyo's neighboring prefectures of Saitama and Kanagawa have also recorded an increase in COVID-19 cases recently, commensurate with the capital's rise in infections.
Japan is also dealing with rising numbers of COVID-19 infections on the U.S. military bases in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.
Koike has spoken out recently about about the central government's plans to boost domestic tourism through a subsidy campaign planned to begin on July 22.
She suggested the move could lead to the virus spreading across prefectural lines, amid the metropolitan government's moves to encourage people to refrain from making unnecessary trips across prefectural borders, to curb the spread of the virus.
"It is like putting cooling and heating systems on at the same time. I'm not sure how we are supposed to deal with that," she said at the time amid Tokyo's recent spike in cases and those in prefectures surrounding the capital.
She has also voiced concern about the central government relaxing its guidelines for holding large sporting and other events.
Economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is also in charge of the coronavirus response, has said in terms of the government recently allowing the number of people to attend sports, music and other large events to be raised to 5,000 spectators, the central government along with experts would reconsider this decision.
Japan's top government spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, has said that striking a balance between measures to prevent the virus from spreading while not stifling economic activity, was the central government's objective.
The latest rise in cases brings Tokyo's cumulative total to 8,640 COVID-19 cases, the highest among the nation's 47 prefectures and accounting for more than one-third of all cases nationwide, official figures showed Thursday.
