As of 11 p.m, Tuesday, May 12 (Japan time)
- Japan on Tuesday raised its travel alert for 13 countries to its second-highest level, warning against any trips to these areas as new coronavirus infections continue to spread globally.
- Wuhan, the original epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, has decided to test all of its citizens, as an infection cluster recently cropped up for the first time since its 76-day lockdown was lifted in April, Chinese media reported Tuesday.
- The number of cosmetic surgery applications in Japan has recently increased and this has worried many medical professionals who have asked people to "refrain from nonessential treatments" to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.
- The Immigration Services Agency of Japan said Tuesday it will give foreigners with periods of stay expiring in July a three-month extension to renew, in a bid to alleviate congestion at immigration counters amid the coronavirus outbreak.
- Around 70 percent of some 100 nonprofit groups and individuals offering educational support to children of foreign descent across Japan have stopped or cut back on their operations amid the coronavirus epidemic, an online poll showed.
- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday shrugged off concerns the new coronavirus could widely spread inside the White House after two staff members were found to have been infected last week.
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.
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