Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a State of Emergency for 30 days in seven prefectures across Japan today over the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This includes Chiba Prefecture, home to Tokyo Disney Resort, and grants more power to prefectural governments to stop the spread of the virus. The declaration lasts through May 6th.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, the declaration will enable prefectural governors to take stronger preventative steps to curb the impact of COVID-19. Due to the limits of Japanese law, however, there are no penalties for non-compliance. Among the powers granted to governors is the power to restrict and request temporary closure of places where large crowds gather. This includes schools, sports venues, and of course theme parks like Tokyo Disneyland.
The Oriental Land Company has yet to make an official announcement, but it’s highly unlikely that they would move forward with the planned April 20th reopening. Tokyo Disney Resort will not likely reopen before at least May 7th.
We will update this story as it develops.