Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6 (Japan time)
- Less than 8 percent of people hospitalized in Japan due to the novel coronavirus have died, a rate much lower than in other countries, a study showed Thursday.
- Osaka Prefecture confirmed a record 225 new cases of novel coronavirus infection Thursday, with other urban areas also reporting record daily figures as the virus continues to spread in parts of the country.
- Former komusubi Abi was suspended for three grand sumo tournaments and had his pay reduced for breaking guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Japan Sumo Association announced Thursday.
- Nintendo Co. said Thursday its net profit for April to June soared to 106.48 billion yen ($1 billion), a 6.4-fold rise from a year earlier, as the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent stay-home requests spurred demand for its Switch console and software.
- Job offers to students set to graduate from universities and graduate schools next March in Japan fell 15.1 percent from a year earlier to 683,000 amid the coronavirus pandemic, logging the sharpest drop in a decade, a research institute said Thursday.
- Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura has drawn fire for suggesting that popular over-the-counter gargle medicines containing an antiseptic can have an effect on the spread of the coronavirus, causing the products to disappear from store shelves.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday reported 360 new cases of the novel coronavirus, up again from the 263 new infections confirmed the previous day.
- Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it expects a 64.1 percent drop in net profit in the current business year through March to 730 billion yen ($6.9 billion) as the global coronavirus pandemic hurts auto demand.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government is considering designating two hospitals to exclusively treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus amid a recent rise in cases, according to sources familiar with the issue.
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday reiterated there is no immediate need to declare another state of emergency in Japan despite a recent resurgence in novel coronavirus infections.
- North Korea will provide special support for the border city of Kaesong that has been locked down since the country's first suspected case of the novel coronavirus was detected there late last month, state-run media reported Thursday.
- Hiroshima marked the 75th anniversary of its atomic bombing by the United States on Thursday, with its mayor urging the international community to unite against serious threats to humanity -- be they nuclear weapons or the novel coronavirus pandemic -- by spurning nationalistic and isolationist policies.
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5 (Japan time)
- Singapore is grappling with a record number of dengue cases this year, and workers being encouraged to work from home to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the main factors, the National Environment Agency said Wednesday.
- ]Japan's daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday topped 1,300, remaining at high levels ahead of next week's summer holiday peak, with health authorities calling on people to be cautious when they travel to their hometowns and elsewhere.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday reported 263 new cases of the novel coronavirus, amid the continued resurgence of infections in August.
- Former komusubi Abi has handed in a letter of retirement to the Japan Sumo Association, a source at his stable said Wednesday, after violating guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus during the July Grand Sumo Tournament.
- Built on a strong foundation, Taiwan's health care system has managed to keep a lid on the spread of the coronavirus, even without the help of the World Health Organization
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