Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, June 23
- The Japanese government said Wednesday it is temporarily halting company applications for COVID-19 vaccinations at workplaces due to concerns it will be unable to distribute doses quickly enough.
- Another member of the Ugandan Olympic delegation has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan for next month's Tokyo Games, a western city hosting the team said Wednesday.
- The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics said Wednesday the drinking of alcoholic beverages in venues at next month's games is to be prohibited as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
- With a month until the opening of the Tokyo Olympics, Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organizing committee, is earnestly hoping that the coronavirus pandemic will not stand in the way of hosting the global sporting showpiece and delivering a lasting positive impact on Japanese society and the rest of the world.
- Okinawa on Wednesday marked the 76th anniversary of the end of a major World War II ground battle between Japanese and U.S. troops, with a memorial service downscaled for the second straight year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Japan is planning to approve the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc for inoculations of those aged 60 and over, government sources said Tuesday.
As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, June 22
- Tokyo Olympic organizers reversed an earlier plan to allow alcoholic beverages to be sold to spectators at competition venues during the global sports event as voices grew against apparent consideration for sponsors such as Asahi Breweries, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.
- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike will take time off from work for the rest of the week due to severe fatigue, the metropolitan government said Tuesday.
- Four U.N. human rights experts said in a letter revealed on Tuesday that the exclusion of students at Korea University from the Japanese government's cash handout program to mitigate financial difficulties amid the coronavirus pandemic was discriminatory.
- The White House said Monday that countries and regions including in Asia and Latin America will get coronavirus vaccines as part of the second batch of the 80 million doses the United States has pledged to share worldwide by the end of June.
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