Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Friday, Oct. 15
- Over 99 percent of residents aged 12 and over in Australia's capital region have received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, officials said Friday, putting Canberra on course to become the most vaccinated city in the world.
- Japan's government said Friday it will boost the country's medical system to allow for 1.2 times more cases of hospitalization for COVID-19 patients compared with this summer's fifth wave of infections when many people were forced to recuperate at home.
- People whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus said Thursday they are hoping for government policies that improve work conditions and bring business back to pre-pandemic levels as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida dissolved the House of Representatives for an Oct. 31 general election.
As of 11 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 14
- The Yomiuri Giants said Thursday that vaccinated fans and those with negative COVID-19 test results would be allowed to attend games for free as part of the government's drive to ease restrictions placed on the public.
- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday his government will outline its coronavirus response on Friday, the day after he dissolved the House of Representatives for a general election.
- Japan's vaccination minister Noriko Horiuchi on Thursday inspected the National Institute of Infectious Diseases as part of efforts to propel the country's coronavirus vaccination program to cope with a possible rebound of infections.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - October 9~15
Useful resources for foreign residents and visitors in Japan
- Health ministry call center
COVID-19: 0120-565-653 (toll free)
COVID-19 Vaccines: 0120-761-770 (toll free)
-Interpreters available for English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; for Thai 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; for Vietnamese 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Health ministry's COVID-19 Vaccine Navigation website
https://v-sys.mhlw.go.jp/en/ - 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)