Coronavirus

COVID-19 Cases up for 8th Consecutive Week in Japan; Omicron Subvariant Nimbus Accounts for About 40% of Infections
The number of people infected with COVID-19 has increased for eight consecutive weeks, driven by ...
August 16, 2025

60% of Special COVID-19 Loans in Arrears at End of 2024; Government Directs Local Authorities to Boost Support
A total of ¥241.3 billion in special government loans meant to mitigate the financial impact of t...
May 19, 2025

5 Years After Confirmation of First Coronavirus Infection, Japan Must Take Steps to Prepare for Next Pandemic
Wednesday will mark five years since the first novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in Japan...
January 13, 2025

¥468.5 Bil. Loaned to Households Due to COVID-19 is Now Uncollectable; Number May Increase with Further Defaults
Of the over ¥1.4 trillion loaned to households in financial distress due to COVID-19 through the ...
October 24, 2024

Long COVID Forces 50% to Quit or Take Sick Leave From Job; Some Employers Dismiss Staff’s Needs, Say Illness Not Real
Many people suffering from so-called long COVID have been forced to quit their jobs or take sick ...
August 22, 2024

Tokyo Sees Increase in New COVID-19 Cases for 10th Consecutive Week; Govt Expects Further Increase in Cases
The average number of new COVID-19 cases per medical institution monitored by the Tokyo metropoli...
July 20, 2024

Doctors Who Fought COVID-19 Turn To Fighting Online Abuse; They Aim To Keep Harassment From Impeding Future Medical Efforts
Doctors who called on people to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic became the targets of...
June 7, 2024

Many Struggling With Long-COVID in Post-Pandemic World; Lack of Understanding Adds to Strain of Symptoms
Wednesday marked one year since COVID-19 was downgraded to Category V under the Infectious Diseas...
May 8, 2024

Public Health Institute in Japan Plans Network with Asian Partners; Data to Be Shared With India, Taiwan and Vietnam
In an effort to promptly share information on infectious diseases in Asia, a team within the Nati...
April 7, 2024

About 240 Mil. Unused COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Be Discarded; Free Vaccination Program Ended
The government is planning to discard about 240 million unused COVID-19 vaccines, as new variant ...
April 2, 2024

Alarming Surge in Japan’s COVID-19 Cases; 10 Weeks Straight Increase, Half Aged 14 and Under
The Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry provided an update on Friday regarding the COVID-19 situatio...
February 2, 2024

Injections Start for First Japan-made COVID Vaccine, Targeting XBB 1.5 Variant
TOKYO — Shots of the first Japan-made vaccine for the novel coronavirus are finally being administer...
December 14, 2023

Japan to Introduce Routine COVID-19 Vaccinations for Elderly
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — A special group of the health ministry Wednesday approved a plan to change COVI...
November 23, 2023

Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo to Develop Flu-COVID Combo Vaccine Using mRNA
Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. will develop a combination vaccine that protects ...
October 13, 2023

Free Vaccinations for XBB Omicron Variant Start in Japan; Elderly, At-Risk People Especially Urged to Get Shots
Free vaccinations for XBB — a new omicron variant of the novel coronavirus — began Wednesday....
September 21, 2023
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