As of 11 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14
- Japan logged 1,731 daily new coronavirus cases on Saturday, renewing a record for a third consecutive day, as Tokyo, Osaka and other major cities continued to see high rates of infection.
- Tokyo reported 352 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, topping the 300 mark for a fourth consecutive day, the first such streak since early August.
- Beijing will no longer host the figure skating Grand Prix Final scheduled for December or the speed skating world championships in February due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the International Skating Union said Friday.
- A robot capable of requesting customers to wear masks and maintain social distance to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus is being tested in an Osaka shop.
As of 11 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13
- Finance chiefs of the Group of 20 major economies agreed Friday to forgive part of the debts owed by developing countries as a further step to support them in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Monday in Tokyo, the government said Friday, as Japan prepares to host the postponed games next year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday denied the need to declare another state of emergency in Japan despite a recent rise in coronavirus cases, citing advice from experts.
- As the coronavirus pandemic rages and masks remain a daily necessity, an Osaka Prefecture plastic parts manufacturer has developed bands that stop ear discomfort caused by mask straps and donated them to various groups around the country.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - November 7 ~ 13
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