Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, June 15
- Japan plans to move forward on a proposal that will allow up to 10,000 spectators or 50 percent of a venue's capacity, whichever is smaller, at events in July and August should the current state of emergency and other COVID-19 measures be lifted, government sources said Tuesday.
- A regional political party affiliated with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Tuesday this summer's Olympics and Paralympics should be held without spectators due to concerns over the coronavirus infections.
- Foreign athletes competing at this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics could be kicked out of Japan if they violate regulations aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus infections, according to a rule book released Tuesday
- Japan's state-run mass coronavirus vaccination centers will start inoculating people aged between 18 and 64 on Thursday in an expanded drive to fill in vacant slots, the ministry in charge of operations said Tuesday.
- Japan's ruling coalition voted down a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's Cabinet in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, deflecting criticism over the government's COVID-19 response and plans to push ahead with the Tokyo Olympics.
- The Japanese government adopted a policy Tuesday to strengthen support for foreign residents who may face hurdles in getting coronavirus vaccinations, together with local municipalities.
- The Japanese government has agreed to receive from U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. COVID-19 vaccine doses for an additional 20,000 workers involved in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said Tuesday.
- Japan will donate one million coronavirus vaccine doses to Vietnam on Wednesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tuesday.
- A protest was staged in Tokyo on Monday, a day before International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates' scheduled arrival in Japan, to oppose the hosting of this summer's Olympics and Paralympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 11 p.m., Monday, June 14
- Japan is expected to secure additional COVID-19 vaccine doses for about 20,000 people who will work at this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to improve the safety of the global sporting events, several officials familiar with the plan said Monday.
- Dai Tamesue, a former sprinter who represented Japan at three Olympics, said Monday he remains unsure whether the Tokyo Games should go ahead this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- South Korean President Moon Jae In said on Monday that if North Korea agrees, the South will "push pro-actively" to help it acquire COVID-19 vaccine supplies.
- The Japanese government is considering placing Tokyo under a quasi-state of emergency during the Olympics, taking into consideration opinions from health experts, a government official said Monday.
- A state-run mass coronavirus vaccination site in Tokyo will start giving shots to police and other officials in charge of crisis management in addition to elderly people nationwide to fill vacant slots, the Japanese government said Monday.
- A British medical journal has called for a "global conversation" about what to do with the Tokyo Olympics set to open next month amid the coronavirus pandemic, while criticizing global health organizations for being largely silent on the topic.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 5~11
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