Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
<May 12, 2022>
- North Korea's state-run media reported Thursday that the country has detected the Omicron variant of the coronavirus from a sample collected in Pyongyang earlier this month.
<May 11, 2022>
- China on Wednesday urged the head of the World Health Organization not to make "irresponsible" remarks, a day after he cast doubt on the sustainability of the country's radical "zero-COVID" policy.
- Wearing masks outdoors to protect against the coronavirus is not necessary providing social distancing is practiced, Japan's top government spokesman said Wednesday, with the approach of summer increasing the risk of heatstroke.
- Japan's government is arranging to double the cap on arrivals from overseas to 20,000 people per day in June, government sources said Wednesday.
<May 10, 2022>
- Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will suspend operations on 14 lines at eight factories in Japan for up to six days this month as it is difficult to procure parts due to the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai.
<May 8, 2022>
- Around 10 percent of people admitted to hospitals due to coronavirus symptoms continued to suffer from aftereffects a year after they were discharged, a recent survey compiled by a health ministry research group showed.
<May 7, 2022>
- Japan's League One announced the cancellation of Saturday's clash between Black Rams Tokyo and Red Hurricanes Osaka shortly before kickoff following multiple COVID-19 cases among players and staff from the team based in Osaka.
<May 6, 2022>
- Japan is considering allowing some foreign tourists to enter the country again in June at the earliest, a government source said Friday.
- Japan Airlines Co. said Friday it expects to return to the black in the business year ending next March on expectations that travel demand will grow as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have begun to ease.
- The Asian Games originally scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China in September will be pushed back due to coronavirus outbreaks around the host country, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.
- Japan will further ease in June border controls implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring them on par with other Group of Seven nations, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - April 30~May 6
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)