Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 10 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2 (Japan time)
- Tokyo confirmed an additional 292 coronavirus infections on Sunday, down from the record-breaking increases of recent days, while cases newly reported across Japan topped 1,000 for the fifth straight day.
- The number of cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines surpassed 100,000 on Sunday, according to figures released by the Health Ministry.
- A number of museums across Japan have started collecting materials related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, such as face masks and fliers, to keep track of everyday life during the outbreak and pass on as a legacy to future generations.
- The SoftBank Hawks have postponed Sunday's baseball game with the Seibu Lions after veteran outfielder Yuya Hasegawa tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Pacific League club said Saturday.
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As of 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1 (Japan time)
- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday appeared for the first time in public since April without wearing his much-touted government-sponsored mask, which has been derided as a symbol of his administration's out-of-step policy against the coronavirus pandemic.
- Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo reopened Saturday for public performances for the first time in five months after taking measures against the novel coronavirus that had prompted its closure.
- Japan confirmed on Saturday at least 1,123 new coronavirus infections, topping the 1,000 mark for the fourth straight day, as authorities in large cities have been forced to reimpose restrictions on some businesses to address the resurgence of the virus.
- As the rainy season ends, Japan is entering summer without its typical scenes of festivals, fireworks and open beaches this year as the novel coronavirus continues to spread in the country.
- Vietnamese health authorities said Friday that a 70-year-old man being treated for COVID-19 in central Vietnam has become the country's first person to die of the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
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