Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:

A prototype of Japan's new shinkansen bullet train, dubbed ALFA-X, pulls into JR Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in Hokkaido, on Feb. 12, 2020. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

As of 11 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29

As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28


Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - October 17~23


Made with Flourish

Made with Flourish

Made with Flourish



A three-day sale begins at a Daimaru department store in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on Oct. 28, 2020, a day after the SoftBank Hawks baseball team clinched the Pacific League title. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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