Three new types of the U.K. coronavirus strain, previously not detected in Japan, were discovered in patients at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, according to a research group studying Covid-19 cases at the hospital. None of the three patients infected with mutations of the U.K. strain had traveled […]
Japan PM apologises after lawmakers’ night club outings
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologised today after lawmakers from his ruling coalition visited night clubs despite his government’s call for people to avoid unnecessary outings to curb the spread of Covid-19. The news is another headache for Suga whose approval rating has tumbled due to dissatisfaction with his handling […]
Japan Cabinet approves bill for tougher Covid-19 measures
Japan’s Cabinet approved draft laws to toughen coronavirus restrictions today, a move that could threaten rule-breakers with fines and prison sentences for the first time since the outbreak began. With just six months until the virus-postponed Tokyo Olympics are due to begin, the capital and other regions are currently under […]
Japan PM vows to tackle coronavirus as public support plunges
Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged today to tackle surging coronavirus cases and restore normal life “as soon as possible” as polls showed plunging support for his government. Suga, who was speaking at the opening of a new parliament session, has only been in office since September, but has seen […]
‘Anything can happen’ with Tokyo Olympics, says Japan minister
A Japanese cabinet minister admitted Friday that “anything can happen” with the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first senior official to concede uncertainty about the Games as Japan and other countries battle a surge in cases. Taro Kono, minister for administrative and regulatory reform, did not rule out the possibility […]
Japan set to expand state of emergency, public cools to Olympics
The Japanese government plans to expand a state of emergency it declared for the Tokyo area last week to seven more prefectures today, media reported, as the public’s hopes for a Summer Olympics fade with the steady spread of Covid-19. The move comes after the governors of Osaka, Kyoto and […]
Tokyo Olympics should be cancelled or postponed
80% of people in Japan who were surveyed in two polls in the last few days say the Tokyo Olympics should be cancelled or postponed, or say they believe the Olympics will not take place. The polls were conducted by the Japanese news agency Kyodo and TBS — the Tokyo […]
Japan bird flu outbreak spreads to farm in fourth prefecture
Bird flu has been detected in a fourth Japanese prefecture, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday, as a wave of infections at poultry farms sparks the country’s worst outbreak in more than four years. Avian influenza was discovered at an poultry farm in Hyuga city in Miyazaki prefecture on Honshu […]
Japan’s Osaka inspires own manga character
Japan’s three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has inspired a new manga character to appear in an issue of Nakayoshi magazine next month, the publishers announced on Sunday. Osaka, who is the world’s highest paid female athlete, is a fan of both manga and anime and took to social media […]
Japan’s Shionogi partners with universities to develop visual coronavirus test
Shionogi & Co Ltd said it is partnering with Japanese universities to develop a saliva test for coronavirus that can yield visual results in 25 minutes. The method, known as SATIC, involves heating a sample of saliva and adding it to a reagent that changes color to indicate the presence […]
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s public support rises despite ex-justice minister’s arrest
Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet rose by nine percentage points to 36% despite the recent arrest of his former justice minister on suspicion of vote-buying, a poll by the Mainichi Shimbun daily showed on Sunday. The approval rating had fallen to 27% in the paper’s previous […]
Covid-19: Japan’s economy reopening cautiously, balancing health risks
The roller coasters are back running in Tokyo but with requests to not scream. Restaurants are offering more take-out and outdoor seating. Major retailer Uniqlo’s new “cool and dry” mask, three for 990 yen ($9), sold out Friday shortly after it was put on the shelves. Japan’s economy is opening […]
Japan will resume fiscal reform once economy out of deflation: PM Abe
Japan will resume efforts to improve its fiscal health once the economy emerges from deflation and overcomes the hit from the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday. “Japan’s economy is battling a crisis, so the priority now is to use all available means to put it on a […]
Covid-19: Japan to Allow re-entry of foreign nationals on humanitarian grounds
Japan will allow some resident foreigners to re-enter the country on humanitarian grounds after facing criticism its policies made their return uncertain and left the group in a Covid-19 travel limbo. A notice on the Justice Ministry’s website says permission to land may be granted “depending on the individual situation […]
Masks too dangerous for children under 2, says Japan pediatric association
Children under the age of two shouldn’t wear masks because they can make breathing difficult and increase the risk of choking, a Japan medical group said, launching an urgent appeal to parents as the country reopens from the coronavirus crisis. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a state of emergency for […]