Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
People wearing face masks for protection against the coronavirus walk in Tokyo's Shibuya area on Sept. 28, 2021. The Japanese government formally decided the same day to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo, Osaka and 17 other prefectures, as infections have declined from their peak. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29
- Business leaders in Japan voiced hope Wednesday that Fumio Kishida, the newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will make all-out efforts to return the pandemic-stricken domestic economy to a steady growth track as early as possible.
-
People in Japan expressed hope Wednesday that the ruling party's pick of former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as its new leader and hence the next prime minister will bring strong leadership in leading the nation through the coronavirus pandemic.
- Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said Tuesday it is considering allowing all 320,000 employees of the telecom giant group to work remotely as the norm and abolishing job relocations, in a drastic shake-up of its management style for a post-coronavirus society.
As of 9 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 28
- The Japanese government on Tuesday formally decided to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo and 18 other prefectures, as well as the quasi-state of emergency in other areas, as infections have declined from their peak.
- U.S. President Joe Biden received his coronavirus vaccine booster shot, after health authorities approved a third shot of Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine for older and higher-risk individuals last week.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - September 18~24
Japanese Emperor Naruhito is projected on a screen during the opening ceremony of the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Sept. 28, 2021. The emperor attended the ceremony remotely from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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
