Japan lifted its coronavirus state of emergency after six months as it gradually eased virus control measures. The government now plans to revive a battered pandemic-hit economy.

It is an almost similar story for Vietnam which also removed stay-at-home restrictions in Ho Chi Minh City—its business and economic centre. Nearly half of Vietnam's 790,000 infection cases and three-fourths of its deaths were reported from the city that has a population of 10 million.

The Japanese, who were prepared for the lifting of the curbs, immediately rushed out to train stations and offices.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga thanked the people for their cooperation and asked them to continue with anti-virus precautions. Suga said: "Once again, I seek your cooperation so that we can return to our daily lives feeling safe".

The opening up brings challenges of its own. Japan still has to strengthen its health systems, ensure that another wave of the dreaded virus does not strike and vaccinations are continually provided to people.

The daily cases have fallen below 1,600 from the mid-August peak of around 25,000—restoring confidence among the people and the Japanese government.

Commuters in Vietnam's capital city Hanoi in 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Di/IANS)

Vietnam too has allowed businesses to restart work but restrictions on educational centres and schools remain. The country has allowed fully vaccinated people to move around freely.

The lockdown in Vietnam impacted supply chains as the manufacturing industry came to a standstill. It has prioritised vaccinations in urban areas and industrial zones.

Vietnam had been conducting priority vaccinations in Ho Chi Minh City. Though the rate of vaccination in the country remains at just 10 per cent, its focused approach saw Ho Chi Minh City inoculate almost all of its adult population so that industrial areas could open up.

Other Vietnamese cities are opening up cautiously and resuming work as the number of cases decline.