(Photo taken in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, on April 26, 2020, shows a vinyl box equipped with a ventilation system developed by electric maker employee Hiroki Kitamura as a shelter for coronavirus patients staying at home due to mild or no symptoms)
As of 11:30 p.m, Monday, May 11 (Japan time)
- Medical experts have called for extra vigilance regarding heat-related illnesses this summer, amid growing fears that the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus could cause breathing difficulties and dehydration.
- Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Atsushi Saito said Monday the organization's 12 teams are aiming to start the 2020 season in the second half of June following postponement due to the coronavirus outbreak.
- As many owners worry about who would care for their pets if they are quarantined with the novel coronavirus, companies and organizations in Japan are struggling to provide relief, with an insurance firm starting to watch over dogs and cats for free.
- Shanghai Disneyland resumed operations on Monday for the first time since late January, becoming the first Disney park in the world to readmit guests with the number of new coronavirus infections decreasing in China.
- The Japanese government will decide whether the nationwide state of emergency over the novel coronavirus can be partially lifted on Thursday after consulting a panel of experts, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday.
- Many cancer patients in Japan are growing concerned about their vulnerability to the novel coronavirus after the recent death of an actress highlighted the risk of treatment weakening the immune system against infection.
- With global demand for ventilators skyrocketing due to the coronavirus pandemic, an Australian designer has created a low-tech prototype using everyday items, like a bucket and bicycle wheels, that could be used in hospitals in developing countries.
- Major Japanese mobile carriers on Monday started selling the iPhone SE, the latest model of Apple Inc.'s popular smartphone series, following a two-week delay to thwart the new coronavirus from spreading among customers who would have waited in long lines during the Golden Week holidays.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Monday started compensating small and medium-sized businesses that had suspended operations through last week amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a roadmap to gradually ease restrictions imposed through July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
List of shops closed in Tokyo following state-of-emergency extension
As of 11 p.m., Sunday, May 10 (Japan time)
- The government is considering lifting the state of emergency declaration in most Japanese prefectures this month over the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Sunday, although it will keep urging caution in Tokyo and some other areas.
- South Korean President Moon Jae In on Sunday praised his country's efforts in battling the novel coronavirus and outlined plans for South Korea to emerge as a leader in the post-COVID-19 era.
- More than half of the Japanese public is dissatisfied with the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
- A Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer left its base Sunday to replace another vessel in a Japanese mission to help secure the safety of a key Middle East sea lane, with precautions taken to avoid onboard infections with the coronavirus.
- Amid requests for people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Japan, instances of tailgating or stones being thrown at cars with out-of-prefecture license plates have been growing in areas that have few confirmed cases of infection.
- To express gratitude and give comfort to frontline health care workers battling the novel coronavirus epidemic, a Kyoto-based chocolatier has launched a unique gift initiative that is also aimed at sustaining its business and supporting cacao farmers.
Useful resources for foreign residents and visitors in Japan
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Tokyo Coronavirus Support Center for Foreign Residents (TOCOS)" multilingual hotline
- Available in Simple Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Khmer, and Burmese, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays except national holidays.
0120-296-004 (toll free) - 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
(Marlboro Diner owner Kara Petrou wears a mask while taking an order on the phone for curbside pickup on Mother's Day on May 10, 2020 in Marlboro, New Jersey. New Jersey limits restaurants to offering takeout and delivery service in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic)[Getty/Kyodo]
