Japan enjoys cherry blossom season despite COVID-19 worries

By CHISATO TANAKA and MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — People across Japan are celebrating the peak cherry blossom viewing season one week after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, triggering concerns of a possible virus resurgence. Trees are in full bloom in many parts of Japan. The peak in Tokyo was on Sunday, attracting many people who had avoided participating in the national tradition for two years because of the pandemic. At many parks, viewers were requested not to gather under the trees for drinking parties _ a traditional way of celebrating the season _ as part of continuing anti-virus measures. Tokyo reported twice as many new cases on Tuesday as a week earlier, with officials attributing the increase to the new omicron subvariant.