Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
U.S. President Joe Biden (2nd from L) and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (2nd from R) hold talks at the White House in Washington on April 16, 2021. Biden had his first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since he took office in January amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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.
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, April 17
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga asked U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Saturday to provide additional supplies of COVID-19 vaccine to Japan, Japanese officials said.
- The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has topped 3 million, with the pace of increase accelerating from mid-March, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed Saturday.
- Tokyo reported 759 daily coronavirus cases Saturday, the highest number since late January, as the country grapples with a resurgence of infections that medical experts describe as a "fourth wave" of the pandemic.
- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga suggested Friday he will prioritize the government's coronavirus response as he weighs when to dissolve Japan's lower house for an election, due by this fall.
- The White House on Friday remained mum on whether President Joe Biden has plans to attend the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as Japan continues to make preparations to hold the events amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - April 10~16
A Tokyo Olympic torch relay participant runs on a beach in Mitoyo in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan, on April 17, 2021. (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
