Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
A dolphin show reopens at Maxell Aqua Park in Tokyo's Shinagawa area on June 17, 2020, following three and a half months of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Kyodo)
As of 11 p.m., Thursday, June 18 (Japan time)
- The J-League made final preparations Thursday to test all of its players for the coronavirus before they begin returning to the pitch later this month.
- Japan will lift its restrictions on travel across prefectures on Friday as scheduled as the spread of the novel coronavirus has been in check, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday.
- Japan is in talks to make exceptions to its entry ban on Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam, as it seeks to ease travel restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday.
- Beijing municipal authorities said Thursday more than 150 coronavirus infections have been discovered over a one-week period since the detection of a cluster at the city's biggest wholesale market.
- Campaigning for the Tokyo gubernatorial election officially kicked off Thursday amid a recent rise in coronavirus infections in the Japanese capital, with incumbent Gov. Yuriko Koike expected to face approximately 20 challengers.
- A clinical test of a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus developed by medical startup Anges Inc. will start June 30 in Japan, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said Wednesday, envisioning to put it into practice next year.
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, June 17 (Japan time)
- Beijing municipal authorities said Wednesday more than 130 coronavirus infections have been discovered since last Thursday in the wake of the detection of a cluster at the city's biggest wholesale market.
- Japan received an estimated 1,700 foreign travelers in May, an all-time low for the second consecutive month, amid the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday.
- Manchester United player Marcus Rashford on Tuesday succeeded in pressuring the British government into reversing a decision to cut free school meals over the summer holidays.
- Japan's exports and imports in May both posted the largest year-on-year drops in more than 10 years, reflecting rapidly weakened overseas demand as the coronavirus pandemic continued to slow economic activities globally, government data showed Wednesday.
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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 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
Cheer leaders for Japan's professional baseball team Yomiuri Giants cheer ahead of a practice match against the Lotte Marines at Tokyo Dome on June 16, 2020. They are ready for the June 19 opening of the 2020 official season, delayed for about three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)
