(Tokyo)
As of 10 p.m., Sunday, April 12 (Japan time)
- Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido issued a further declaration of a state of emergency on Sunday, following one issued previously in late February, after seeing the pace of infections picking up.
- South Korean health authorities on Sunday revealed that among people in the country who recovered from the novel coronavirus, 111 subsequently tested positive again.
- China's health authorities on Sunday reported 99 new coronavirus cases in the mainland, all but two being imported and marking an increase of more than double from the previous day's figure.
- The central Japanese prefecture of Toyama will help boost production of antiviral flu drug Avigan, which is seen as effective in treating COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, its governor said.
- North Korea decided to take "more thorough state measures" against the coronavirus at a key ruling party gathering presided over by leader Kim Jong Un as the pandemic may create obstacles to the country's "struggle and progress," state-run media reported Sunday.
List of shops closed in Tokyo following emergency declaration
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, April 11 (Japan time)
- More than 190 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on Saturday, a record daily increase for the fourth straight day, a metropolitan government official said.
- Japan Football Association President Kozo Tashima called Japan's health care workers "our national team" on Saturday and pleaded for people to support them following his own bout with the new coronavirus.
- The Imperial Guard Headquarters said Saturday a senior officer has contracted the new coronavirus, but that he had not had contact with the emperor and empress for a long time.
- Japan will allow governors of all 47 prefectures to "strongly request" that their residents refrain from visiting nightclubs, hostess bars and busy downtown spots in a push to prevent cluster infections of the novel coronavirus, government officials said Saturday.
- Tokyo and six other prefectures entered their first weekend under a state of emergency Saturday, with the government strengthening calls for people to stay home and for nonessential businesses to temporarily shutter to curb the coronavirus' spread in Japan.
- Over 60 percent of people surveyed in Japan last month said their government was not handling the coronavirus outbreak well, according to a poll by the Gallup International Association.
- Since the coronavirus pandemic largely moved indoors the lives of adults and children in Japan, many athletes have been giving the benefit of their expertise on social media to help viewers and followers stay trim without having to venture outside.
- The worldwide death toll from the new coronavirus has surpassed 100,000, a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University showed Friday.
- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration expects "substantially" fewer deaths from the coronavirus pandemic than its earlier projection of a loss of at least 100,000 lives, thanks to ongoing mitigation measures
Useful resources for foreign residents and visitors in Japan
- NEW! AMDA Medical Information Center's "Multilingual Consultation Service Regarding COVID-19"
(April 10~May 20, 2020)
- Available in English, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends and national holidays. Also available in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Spanish, Vietnamese and Portuguese on designated weekdays. Check schedule here.
03-6233-9266
- Available in English and Chinese on weekdays only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
090-3359-8324 - Tokyo Metropolitan Government's COVID-19 info
https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/flow/ - Tokyo Metropolitan Government's hotline
- Available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
0570-550571
- Available via fax for those with hearing impairments
03-5388-1396 - Japan National Tourism Organization's "Guide for when you are feeling ill"
- Multilingual clinic/hospital search available in English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese
https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/eng/mi_guide.html - JNTO's "Japan Visitor Hotline"
- Available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese 24 hours a day
050-3816-2787
+81-50-3816-2787 (from overseas)
http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/content/001328767.pdf - Japan's health ministry hotline
- Available in Japanese only, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
0120-565653 - World Health Organization's "Q&A on coronaviruses"
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
(Seoul)
