Japan, so far spared the mass spread of coronavirus that has hit Europe and North America, took urgent new steps on Thursday to respond to what Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described as a "national crisis" following a surge of cases in Tokyo. With 47 new cases reported in the capital, Abe banned entry from 21 European countries and Iran, and set up a new crisis task force - a preliminary step toward declaring a state of emergency, although his government said none was planned. "In order to overcome what can be described as a national crisis, it is necessary for the state, local governments, medical community, and the people to act as one and press ahead with measures against coronavirus infections," Abe said at a task force meeting.