TOKYO — Japan canceled the emperor's birthday celebrations next week as it moved on Monday to limit crowds to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and said it will close the Tokyo Marathon to all but elite professional runners. The widening fallout of the virus outbreak, which began in China in December and has already killed over 1,700 people, is damaging output and tourism in Japan, which is preparing to host the Olympic Games from late July. A further spread of the virus in Japan, which last week reported its first fatality from the disease, could undermine growth and potentially push the country into recession, analysts say. Citing "circumstances", the Imperial Household Agency said it would cancel Emperor Naruhito's public birthday address on Feb. 23, his first since his coronation last year. The event regularly attracts tens of thousands of people to the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace in the heart of Tokyo.

Source: International New York Times February 17, 2020 07:48 UTC