People wearing protective masks make their way at a local market district amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Tokyo, Japan May 13, 2020.REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

TOKYO: Japan is expected to lift the state of emergency for 39 of its 47 prefectures on Thursday (May 14), local media reported, while the capital Tokyo is set to keep restrictions in place until it sees a convincing containment of the coronavirus.