Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4
- Japanese biotech firm Takara Bio Inc. will start producing messenger RNA vaccines on a contract basis possibly from next January, its officials said Thursday, in a move likely to help cut the country's reliance on imports for COVID-19 vaccines.
- Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus for children aged 5 to 11 are under way, U.S. media reported Wednesday, following approval by U.S. health authorities the previous day for use of the Pfizer Inc. vaccine for the age bracket.
As of 10 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3
- Foreign researchers received recently by a Japanese government-affiliated institution are having to follow stricter COVID-19 quarantine rules than otherwise and have been "jailed" in their hotel rooms since their arrival in Japan, people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.
- The number of young people in Japan newly diagnosed with the eating disorder anorexia rose about 60 percent in fiscal 2020 from the previous year, due possibly to increased stress and anxiety amid the coronavirus pandemic, a survey showed.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - October 23~29
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)