Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5
- Japan's government and ruling parties are considering providing 100,000 yen ($880) each for all children aged 18 or younger in an attempt to ease the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Friday.
- Japan's government said Friday it will shorten the COVID-19 quarantine period for vaccinated businesspeople from overseas upon their arrival in the country to three days from Monday.
- An economic policy panel of Japan's government will propose promoting efforts to digitalize local areas through a significant amount of subsidies as part of fresh stimulus to revitalize the coronavirus-hit economy, a draft document showed Friday.
- Japanese baseball player Ikuhiro Kiyota has filed a suit seeking damages and reinstatement by the Lotte Marines after his contract was terminated for dining out during the coronavirus pandemic, his lawyer said Thursday.
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.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - Oct. 30 ~ Nov. 5
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)