As of 11 p.m., Saturday, July 31

• Japan's daily total of COVID-19 cases surpassed 12,000 on Saturday, a record figure for the fourth straight day, triggering concerns about an explosive surge in infections while the Olympics are held in the capital.
  
  
• Two male judoka from Georgia have been ejected from the Tokyo Olympics for leaving the athletes village to go sightseeing in violation of COVID-19 protocols, a spokesperson for the country's Olympic committee said Saturday.
  
  
• The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed a record 4,058 daily coronavirus cases Saturday, with a spike in infections causing concern while the Olympics are held in the capital.
  
  
• The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said Saturday a person involved in the games has been stripped of accreditation for leaving the athletes' village to go sightseeing, in violation of its anti-COVID-19 rules.
  
  
• The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee on Saturday reported 21 more COVID-19 cases related to the games, none of them athletes, amid surging infections in the capital and some other parts of Japan.
  
  
• A new study by the U.S. health protection agency showed Friday that around three-quarters of the individuals infected with the novel coronavirus in outbreaks detected after large public events in a Massachusetts town had been fully vaccinated.

As of 11 p.m., Friday, July 30

• The head of the International Olympic Committee said Friday he believes the Japanese public is "embracing" the Tokyo Olympics despite early skepticism over staging them amid a global pandemic.
  
  
• Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday there is no link between the ongoing Tokyo Olympics and surging COVID-19 cases in the capital, stressing adequate measures are in place to prevent infections spreading from athletes and staff visiting for the games.
  
  
• Japan's daily total of COVID-19 cases hit 10,743 on Friday, logging a record figure for the third straight day, while Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has denied any linkage between the Olympics being held in the capital and the resurgence.
  
  
• Japan decided Friday to expand its COVID-19 state of emergency to Osaka and three prefectures near Tokyo as a recent spike in coronavirus cases to record levels has raised fears that the country's medical system could collapse amid the Tokyo Olympics.
  
  
• The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed 3,300 daily coronavirus cases Friday as the capital, where the Olympics are being held, is experiencing a surge in infections.
  
  
• ANA Holdings Inc. on Friday reported a net loss of 51.16 billion yen ($470 million) for the April-June quarter as travel demand remained subdued amid the pandemic.

• A week since the opening of the Tokyo Olympics, fraught with many difficulties, the gold medal rush of Japanese athletes has lifted the spirits of a public that remains largely worried about staging the multinational sporting event amid a once-in-a-century pandemic.

• As Japan's impressive medal haul grows, sales of official Tokyo Olympics merchandise such as badges and keyrings have been surging, with fans queuing outside stores to buy them despite mounting COVID-19 infections.

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Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - July 24~30

People wearing face masks walk across a scramble intersection in Tokyo's Shibuya area on July 30, 2021. The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed 3,300 daily coronavirus cases the same day as the capital, where the Olympics are being held, is experiencing a surge in infections. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo