The Japan Coast Guard has found a crewmember of a sunken Japanese cargo ship inside the vessel. He has been confirmed dead. It says he has been identified as a 22-year-old marine engineer, one of the three crewmembers who had not been accounted for.
The ship, Byakko, sank after colliding with Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Ulsan Pioneer on Thursday night in the inland sea off Ehime Prefecture, western Japan.
Japanese pianists have received the top prizes in one of the world's most prestigious contests.
After final concerts from Monday to Saturday, 28-year-old Mukawa Keigo placed third and Sakata Tomoki, who is 27, finished fourth in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels.
A survey has found about three-quarters of young residents of Tokyo plan nonessential activities amid the coronavirus state of emergency.
Japan's government extended the state of emergency for 9 prefectures, including the capital, until June 20. Officials are encouraging residents to refrain from nonessential outings.
Books related to Karl Marx's "Capital" are selling well in Japan. Publishers say people could be more conscious of social issues, such as economic inequality and environmental destruction, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
German philosopher and economist Karl Marx published "Das Kapital" in 1867. It studies the mechanism of capitalism and analyzes its problems. It had an enormous impact on the development of global economic systems.
Movie theaters in Tokyo are making preparations to reopen next month when the metropolitan government will ease coronavirus restrictions.
The state of emergency in Tokyo will be extended for three weeks on June 1, but some restrictions will be eased.
The Japanese government decided to extend the coronavirus state of emergency for Tokyo and eight other prefectures until June 20. That's the same day emergency measures for Okinawa Prefecture are due to expire. People are especially concerned in Okinawa and Hokkaido where infections have been on the rise.
Okinawa governor Tamaki Denny said, "The number of infected people in their 40s and younger is increasing dramatically. And due to the rapid spread of mutant strains, cases are also on the rise among teenagers."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 539 new cases of the coronavirus in the capital on Saturday.
The figure is 63 fewer than a week ago and marks the 16th straight day of week-on-week decline.
Public health experts have discussed anti-coronavirus safety measures for the Olympic Villages ahead of the Games.
The organizers and the IOC have set guidelines for ensuring the safety of all residents in the village, while balancing considerations related to the athletes' performances.
NHK has learned that Japanese and US government officials are discussing the feasibility of allowing medical workers at US military bases in Japan to administer coronavirus vaccines to Japanese workers at the facilities.
Japanese government sources say the plan would be optional for the about 26,000 Japanese people who work at the bases. They also say the vaccines would come from existing supplies at the facilities.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has suggested that it would be difficult to further postpone the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Koike was asked by reporters on Friday if the Tokyo Games, which were postponed by one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, could be put off again.
The Japanese government has decided to extend the state of emergency for Tokyo and eight other prefectures through June 20 in an effort to contain the coronavirus.
The decision was made at a meeting of the government's task force on Friday, attended by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and other senior officials.
Japan's health ministry decided on Friday to expand the use of US pharmaceutical company Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to people aged 12 or older.
The current minimum age for someone to receive the vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech is 16.
A panel of public health experts has found issues over anti-infection measures at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Village for athletes and staff.
Panel members discussed the issues at a meeting on Friday after visiting the village.
Japanese immigration authorities have decided to allow people from Myanmar to extend their stays in the country for up to one year, in response to the ongoing military crackdown in the Southeast Asian nation.
Japan's Immigration Services Agency drew up the emergency measures for people from Myanmar who want to continue to stay in Japan even after their visas have expired.