People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on a crossing in Tokyo on Aug. 16, 2021. Tokyo has been under what it calls a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government is set to declare a COVID-19 state of emergency in seven more prefectures in addition to Tokyo and five other areas, government sources said Monday.

       A decision to declare an emergency in Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures from Friday to Sept. 12 is expected to be made on Tuesday, they said.

       The state of emergency through Aug. 31 for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka and Okinawa will also be extended to Sept. 12, the sources said.

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