As of 10 p.m., Saturday, May 1
- Up to around 300 people every day, who had pledged to self-isolate upon arrival into Japan as part of measures to contain the novel coronavirus, could not be confirmed to be in their quarantine location or were found to be some distance away, the health ministry and a contracted medical service firm said Saturday.
- Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee Vice President Toshiaki Endo on Saturday asserted his belief that coronavirus countermeasures will allow the games to be held and that organizers are not considering cancellation.
- Tokyo reported another 1,050 coronavirus infections Saturday, the highest daily number since Jan. 28, with the capital and three western prefectures under the country's third state of emergency since late last month.
- Japan's Golden Week holiday period began in earnest on Saturday, but the first day of five consecutive vacation days was relatively quiet in major areas as measures against COVID-19 dissuaded many people from traveling.
- A Japanese cruise ship returned to Yokohama port Saturday after a passenger tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
- More than half the respondents in a Kyodo News survey released Saturday believe Japan needs to amend its Constitution to introduce an emergency clause so that it can better respond to the coronavirus pandemic and other disasters.
As of 11 p.m., Friday, April 30
- A passenger on a Japanese cruise ship that departed from Yokohama port has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, its operator said Friday.
- ANA Holdings Inc. posted Friday a record net loss of 404.62 billion yen ($3.7 billion) for the business year to March hurt by a pandemic-caused slump in travel demand, but it forecast a return to profitability in fiscal 2021.
- The first batch of the coronavirus vaccine developed by U.S. pharmaceutical maker Moderna Inc. arrived in Japan on Friday, with the government planning to use it at mass vaccination centers following expected approval in May.
- The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world has surpassed 150 million, with India seeing a sharp rise in infections, a Johns Hopkins University tally showed Friday.
- Japan's Cabinet decided Friday to use 500 billion yen ($4.6 billion) in fiscal 2021 reserve funds to aid businesses affected by the government's third state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - April 24~30