Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 1
- Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura, who has faced a barrage of criticism for suddenly biting an Olympic softball player's gold medal last month, on Wednesday tested positive for the coronavirus, the local government said.
- Grand champion Hakuho could miss September's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament following a Japan Sumo Association announcement on Wednesday that a second-tier juryo division wrestler at his Miyagino stable had tested positive for the coronavirus.
- Japan is considering extending the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo and 20 of Japan's 47 prefectures by another two weeks, as it looks increasingly unlikely the current situation will warrant the lifting of the measure on its planned Sept. 12 expiry, government sources said Wednesday.
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday ruled out dissolving the House of Representatives for a general election anytime soon given Japan's current severe COVID-19 situation, tamping down speculation he would do so in mid-September.
As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 31
- Hundreds of boxes full of unused coronavirus-related medical goods for the Tokyo Olympics, including gloves, gowns and masks, worth a total of 5 million yen ($45,000), were found to have been thrown away, the games' organizing committee said Tuesday.
- Tokyo saw over 125,600 new coronavirus cases in August, almost triple the previous monthly record infections logged last month, according to figures released by the metropolitan government Tuesday.
- The total amount of general-account budget requests by Japanese ministries and agencies for fiscal 2022 has hit a record of over 111 trillion yen ($1 trillion) as debt-servicing costs are expected to balloon amid the coronavirus pandemic, a Kyodo News tally found Tuesday.
- The Tokyo metropolitan government said Monday it is considering implementing an online lottery system for a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site for young people in the capital, after thousands swarmed the site in its first days of opening.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - Aug 21~27
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