Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Monday, June 15 (Japan time)
- Beijing municipal authorities on Monday confirmed a fresh cluster of new coronavirus cases at the biggest wholesale market in the Chinese capital, with the central government instructing the city to take "decisive steps" to prevent further infections.
- Japan will ease travel restrictions imposed to keep the novel coronavirus pandemic in check, starting with flights to Vietnam on a limited basis later this month, government sources said Monday.
- Reigning champions Yokohama F Marinos will face the Urawa Reds at Saitama Stadium when the J-League first division resumes following a roughly four-month break on July 4, according to a new match schedule released Monday.
- A group of professors in Japan sent a petition to the education ministry Monday demanding it scrap "discriminatory" criteria for foreign students to be eligible for cash handouts to mitigate financial difficulties amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- Japan Airlines Co. said Monday it will resume at full capacity boarding and security operations for domestic flights at Tokyo's Haneda airport in July with traffic expected to increase as coronavirus restrictions are gradually lifted.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed 48 new coronavirus infections on Monday, a source close to the issue said.
- Japan on Monday added medical fields to the list of domestic industrial sectors subject to foreign investment restrictions to maintain domestic control over cutting-edge technologies including those related to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
- Fast Retailing Co. will start selling washable and fast-drying face masks at its Uniqlo stores in Japan on Friday for customers seeking suitable face gear for the hot summer amid lingering concerns about coronavirus infection.
- Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a national treasure in western Japan, fully reopened Monday after a three-month closure due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday that higher temperatures in the summer are unlikely to slow the transmission of the novel coronavirus in Japan, given that infections are high even in the Middle East.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 6 - 12
Updates on major shops, facilities as economy reopens in Japan
As of 11 p.m., Sunday, June 14 (Japan time)
- Beijing's health authorities on Sunday reported 36 new coronavirus infections, all traced to a local wholesale market where a new outbreak has been discovered.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Sunday confirmed 47 new coronavirus infections, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said.
- Business conditions at more than 20 percent of medical institutions in Japan have worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic, with doctors saying they have experienced dismissals, salary reductions and forced closures, according to a recent survey.
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