Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
Osaka's landmark Tsutenkaku Tower is lit up in red on April 7, 2021, as the western Japan prefecture logs a record 878 new cases of coronavirus the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
As of 11 p.m., Monday, April 19
- Japan tightened Monday its rules on coronavirus test certificates needed to be submitted by all passengers upon arrival at Japanese airports, with those failing to meet required conditions to be denied entry into the country in principle.
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Monday that the government will secure enough COVID-19 vaccines for all eligible citizens by the end of September after an agreement with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on additional supplies.
- The Japanese government will consider allowing dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccines, its top spokesman said Monday, amid concerns there will be a dearth of doctors and nurses once the rollout hits full tilt.
- Japan's exports in March grew 16.1 percent from a year earlier, the largest gain in over three years, as the pace of recovery from the initial impact of the coronavirus pandemic picked up on brisk material shipments to China, government data showed Monday.
- Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura suggested Monday he intends to ask the central government to declare a fresh state of emergency in Osaka Prefecture amid a resurgence of novel coronavirus cases.
- Some 22 percent of major companies in Japan are planning to cut new hires for the business year starting next April from the current year, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday, indicating many firms remain cautious about the outlook amid the coronavirus pandemic.
As of 10 p.m., Sunday, April 18
- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Sunday she might ask the central government to issue a fresh coronavirus state of emergency for the capital to deal with a recent spike in cases.
- A total of about 15,000 elderly people in Japan have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, more than double the number released by the health ministry, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
- Osaka Prefecture on Sunday reported 1,220 new coronavirus infections, the highest level on record.
- Japan's vaccine minister said Sunday that Pfizer Inc. will increase supply of its coronavirus vaccine, allowing the country to procure enough doses by the end of September to inoculate all eligible residents.
- Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. has launched policies to cover people who take so-called "workations," permitting companies to allow their staff to combine work and pleasure while ensuring they are protected against various mishaps.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - April 10~16
People wearing masks to protect against the novel coronavirus dance in Pyongyang on April 15, 2021, to celebrate the 109th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's late founder Kim Il Sung. (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)
https://www.seikatubunka.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/chiiki_tabunka/tabunka/tabunkasuishin/0000001452.html - 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/ - Tokyo Metropolitan Government hotline
https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/contacts
- Available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (including weekends and holidays)
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"
https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/hotline/
- Available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese 24 hours a day
050-3816-2787
+81-50-3816-2787 (from overseas) - 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
