Japan has entered the eighth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, marking a period where "high-risk behaviors" should be controlled based on the "judgment of each individual," the Japan Medical Association said Wednesday.

"As medical resources are limited, a sharp increase in COVID-19 patients would put a strain on the health care system," Satoshi Kamayachi, an executive board member of the association, said at a press conference.

Japan's daily COVID-19 cases totaled 106,689 on Wednesday, topping 100,000 for the second straight day. Hokkaido and Nagano prefectures reported record infections, while Tokyo saw 10,114 cases, exceeding the 10,000 mark for the second consecutive day.

"We will monitor the situation closely and do all we can to protect the lives and health of people," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the same day.