Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Monday, Oct. 4
- Tokyo confirmed 87 daily coronavirus cases Monday, marking the first time since November last year that the count has fallen below 100.
- Japan's health ministry is in talks with U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. to procure an oral COVID-19 medicine developed by the firm for use by those suffering from mild symptoms, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.
- Fumio Kishida took office as Japan's new prime minister on Monday, forming a Cabinet tasked with keeping COVID-19 under control while reviving a battered economy as he looks to appeal to voters heading into next month's general election.
As of 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 3
- While online classes have become the norm amid the COVID-19 pandemic, academics from Japan and Hong Kong believe that online classes cannot truly be a substitute for face-to-face learning despite the merits of technology in communicating with students.