Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 19
- The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2021 dropped to 245,900, the lowest since 1964 when comparable data became available, as the country enforced tighter border controls amid the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday.
- Japan decided Wednesday to place Tokyo and 12 other areas under a coronavirus quasi-state of emergency, with the capital reporting a record 7,377 new infections as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreads rapidly across the country.
- The Nikkei index plunged Wednesday to its lowest level in nearly five months due to rising concerns about Japan's economic recovery after the country logged its highest number of coronavirus cases the day before.
- Star forward Mana Iwabuchi will miss the start of Nadeshiko Japan's title defense at the Women's Asian Cup in India after testing positive for the coronavirus, the Japan Football Association announced Wednesday.
As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 18
- Three more cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Beijing since Monday, the municipal government said Tuesday, weeks before the Winter Olympics are scheduled to kick off in the capital on Feb. 4.
- Japan's confirmed daily coronavirus cases on Tuesday topped 30,000 for the first time, surpassing the previous record of 25,992 registered in August last year, a Kyodo News tally showed, prompting more prefectural governments to seek quasi-emergency measures to stem the spread of the Omicron variant.
- China's trade with North Korea plunged around 90 percent in 2021 from 2019 before the novel coronavirus pandemic began, government data showed Tuesday.
- Japanese Emperor Naruhito again expressed his hope for the end of the coronavirus pandemic in a poem recited Tuesday at an annual ceremony.
- The Bank of Japan on Tuesday lifted its inflation forecast for the fiscal year from April amid higher energy and raw material costs amid a weak yen, while maintaining its ultraloose monetary policy to support the economy hit by a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.
- Japan will halt implementation of a government system combining COVID-19 vaccination and testing in a bid to restart economic activities in the wake of breakthrough infections, as the highly contagious Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - January 8~14
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)