OSAKA — Osaka Prefecture will consider relaxing restrictions on serving alcohol should the coronavirus quasi-emergency measures there be extended beyond July 11, Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told a July 7 press conference.
Gov. Yoshimura said the prefecture would examine allowing alcohol service at restaurants and bars to groups of up to four as a rule, up from the current limit of two. He added that his government intends to continue to request that businesses stop serving drinks at 7 p.m., and close by 8 p.m.
From June 21 to July 11, eateries in all 33 cities in Osaka Prefecture, where quasi-emergency measures are in effect, have been asked to effectively refrain from serving alcohol, but under certain conditions it allows alcohol sales from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(Japanese original by Masaki Ishikawa, Osaka City News Department)