Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, June 19
- About 97 percent of 116 major Japanese companies responding to a survey have said they plan to conduct workplace COVID-19 vaccinations, covering at least 2 million people.
- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Saturday that all live public viewing events during this summer's Olympics and Paralympics in the Japanese capital will be canceled, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Over 60 percent of companies across Japan are reluctant to have the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics held this year due to concerns about the country's low COVID-19 vaccination rate, a survey by a credit research company showed earlier this week.
As of 11 p.m., Friday, June 18
- Eateries in Tokyo will be allowed to serve alcohol from Monday following the lifting of the coronavirus state of emergency in the capital, Gov. Yuriko Koike said Friday, despite signs of an upward trend in infections for the first time in over a month.
- The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will hold an online meeting Monday to possibly decide on a limit on spectators at the games amid the coronavirus pandemic, Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organizing committee, said Friday.
- The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee said Friday it expects to further cut the number of overseas-based officials and staff permitted to attend to about 53,000, down from the previously reduced figure of about 78,000 and less than one-third of the initial number.
- The Bank of Japan on Friday decided to extend the deadline for its scheme to support corporate funding by six months until next March as the coronavirus pandemic drags on.
- Despite the Tokyo Olympics being just weeks away, academic and vocal games critic Jules Boykoff says it is "not too late" for this summer's event to be canceled if health experts deem it too risky due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Friday started coronavirus vaccinations for staff and media members who will work at this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
- Japan's top coronavirus adviser on Friday said that staging the Tokyo Olympics without spectators is "desirable" as it will bring the lowest risk of a major infection event.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 12~18
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