9,500 JR Central employees to take leave due to declining travel demand
The program, which is also aimed at preventing the virus from spreading among employees, will cover train drivers, conductors, mechanics and station staff, JR Central said.
State of emergency expanded to seven more prefectures
Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi, Gifu, Tochigi and Fukuoka have all been added, making the order effective in 11 of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
Japan set to expand COVID-19 emergency to seven more prefectures
The declaration is expected to expand to Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures in the Kansai region, as well as Aichi, Gifu, Fukuoka and Tochigi prefectures.
Aichi city aims to give ‘dropout’ service dogs a second life
The city of Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, is utilizing Japan's furusato nōzei hometown donation system to support a second life for dogs that fail to become service animals. There is currently no public support for such dogs, according to the Japan Service Dog Association. "There are ...
Kansai governors urge Suga to expand emergency declaration
Within a day of measures for the Tokyo area taking effect, a growing number of other prefectures have already asked for the order be expanded as cases continue to increase.
The total number of people who have become unemployed in Japan amid the coronavirus pandemic reached 79,522 as of Friday, the labor ministry's latest weekly tally showed Monday.
The government's Go To Travel subsidy campaign offers only temporary aid for hotels that had difficulty attracting domestic visitors even before the pandemic.
Musical improvisation: Karaoke venues find new uses for their multimedia spaces
Firms have seen sales fall by as much as 40% amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but have also been able to tap into new demand.
Murder victim’s mother calls for better family support in Japan
While some help is offered on a prefectural basis, Fumiko Isogai, whose daughter was killed 13 years ago, wants a centralized safety net.
Outbound travel from Sapporo and Osaka added to travel campaign curbs
Osaka Prefecture reported 383 new cases of the virus on Friday, a day after recording a high of 12 deaths, while Hokkaido recorded 252 and a record nine deaths.
Aichi governor asks Nagoya restaurants to shut early as cases rise
Bars and restaurants serving alcohol in the city's main nightlife entertainment districts are requested to shorten their business hours for about three weeks from this weekend.
Hospitals in Japan's hard-hit areas stretched amid COVID-19 surge
There is concern that a rising trend in the number of severely ill patients could overwhelm hospitals, health care facilities and intensive care units, delaying critical care.
