Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
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.
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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.
As of 11 p.m., Thursday, July 29
- The government is planning to add three prefectures neighboring Tokyo, as well as Osaka Prefecture, to areas under the COVID-19 state of emergency amid a resurgence of the coronavirus, a government source said.
- Japan's daily total of COVID-19 cases topped 10,000 for the first time on Thursday, with Tokyo experiencing surging infections, casting a pall over the Olympics.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed a record 3,865 daily coronavirus cases Thursday, with surging infections in the capital casting a pall over the Olympics.
- Thailand and Indonesia have begun recommending U.S.- and European-made coronavirus vaccines to their populations after seeing some deaths among those inoculated with Chinese vaccines amid the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
- The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee on Thursday reported 24 more COVID-19 cases associated with the games, the highest in a 24-hour span since infections began being compiled from the start of this month.
- Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed Wednesday cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan.
- People who volunteered for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics but whose stints have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic have joined a project to sing the anthems of 204 countries and regions taking part in the Summer Games.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - July 24~30
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