Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22 (Japan time)
- Japan and Cambodia agreed Saturday to reopen borders for expatriates, starting possibly from early September, on condition they observe a 14-day self-quarantine period and take other precautions against the novel coronavirus.
- Japan has decided to ease entry restrictions for foreign students, imposed to curb the novel coronavirus, possibly within this month, government sources said Saturday.
- The Seattle Mariners reinstated Japanese reliever Yoshihisa Hirano from the injured list Friday after deactivating him following a positive test for the novel coronavirus.
- Japan's Kei Nishikori said Friday he has tested positive again for the novel coronavirus after revealing his initial infection less than a week ago, making it very unlikely he will play at the U.S. Open starting Aug. 31.
- The requirement by many hospitals in Japan that women wear face masks while in labor to prevent coronavirus transmission has stirred debate among new mothers online, with some saying it was distressing while others argue it is essential to reduce infection risks.
- With just over one year to go until the postponed Tokyo Paralympics, athletes are finding ways to adapt their training programs around coronavirus restrictions to ensure they stay in tip-top shape while protecting themselves.
- As a heat wave continues to grip much of Japan and send thousands to hospital with heat-related illnesses, medical workers worry that the similarity of symptoms to COVID-19 may place extra pressure on a health care system already creaking under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Hong Kong will launch a universal community test scheme to help identify and treat asymptomatic patients infected by the coronavirus and add more beds to handle an anticipated resurgence of cases in winter, government leader Carrie Lam said Friday.
- Singapore said Friday it will reopen its doors to tourists from Brunei and New Zealand from Sept. 8, marking the first time since March this year when it banned the entry of such visitors due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - August 15~21
As of 11:00 p.m., Friday, Aug. 21 (Japan time)
- Japan received an estimated 3,800 foreign travelers in July, posting a year-on-year plunge of 99.9 percent for the fourth consecutive month amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Friday.
- Japan's coronavirus task force compiled on Friday draft guidelines on vaccination that say the government should prioritize inoculating medical workers, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.
- The J-League on Friday postponed a fourth match involving first-division side Sagan Tosu, the team involved in the league's first known novel coronavirus cluster.
- Indonesia and China agreed Thursday that a Chinese pharmaceutical company working with a state-owned Indonesian drugmaker will send up to 40 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine to the Southeast Asian county starting in November.
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"
- Available in Simple Japanese and English, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Also available in Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese on designated weekdays. Check schedule here.
03-6233-9266 - 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