Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
People wearing masks to protect against the novel coronavirus walk in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, on May 21, 2021. The Japanese government said the same day Okinawa will be added to areas under a COVID-19 state of emergency from May 23. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, May 22
- Taiwan logged another day of triple-digit COVID-19 infections Saturday, one week after Taipei and New Taipei City raised their epidemic warning level.
- A total of 28 prefectures and large cities in Japan are either planning or considering setting up large-scale coronavirus vaccination sites to expedite inoculation of elderly people, a Kyodo News survey showed Saturday.
- More Japanese government officials and Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizers are inclined to allow a certain number of spectators at this summer's games if thorough anti-coronavirus measures are taken, sources close to the matter said Saturday.
- Antibodies in people infected by older versions of the novel coronavirus could become weaker in defending against COVID-19 variants over time, a recent study by a Japanese university showed.
- The Tokyo Olympics can be held this summer even if the Japanese capital is under a coronavirus state of emergency due to a spike in infections, a top official of the International Olympic Committee said Friday, amid nagging concerns over whether they can proceed safely during a global health crisis.
As of 11 p.m., Friday, May 21
- The number of domestic violence consultations in Japan grew 1.6-fold to a record 190,030 in the fiscal year through March, preliminary government data showed Friday, as the coronavirus pandemic is believed to have ramped up stress among couples and families who spent more time at home.
- The Tokyo Olympics can be held this summer even if the Japanese capital remains under a coronavirus state of emergency, John Coates, a top official of the International Olympic Committee, suggested Friday.
- The Japanese government decided Friday to add Okinawa to areas under a COVID-19 state of emergency as infections in the southern island prefecture surge.
- The organizers of this summer's Tokyo Olympics must decide whether to go ahead with the games after scrutinizing the impact they may have on Japan's medical system, the country's top government COVID-19 adviser said Friday.
- The Japanese government formally approved two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc on Friday, taking a major step toward speeding up its sluggish inoculation drive.
- Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic staff and workers, including those from overseas, will be required to regularly self-collect saliva samples for COVID-19 testing, officials familiar with the games' planning said Thursday.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - May 15~21
The Olympic flame is passed from torch to torch during the Tokyo Olympic torch relay on the Mizuki Shigeru Road, named after the famous manga author, in the Tottori Prefecture city of Sakaiminato, western Japan, on May 21, 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
