A group of 21 officials and trainees from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases dined together in Tokyo last month, while the capital was under the coronavirus state of emergency.

The health ministry says the gathering took place on March 18 at the institute's compound in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. It says the trainees had completed an epidemiological survey course. The ministry added that alcohol was also served at the event, which lasted for about 15 minutes.

Japan's Immigration Services Agency has released an interim report on the death of a Sri Lankan woman while in custody at an immigration detention facility.

The woman, who was in her 30s, died at a facility of the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, about a month ago.

Japan's industry minister says he will lead the efforts to counter baseless rumors about the disposal of radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The water used to cool molten nuclear fuel is treated but still contains tritium and some other radioactive substances. The treated water is being stored in tanks at the plant.

Japanese researchers have found that the British coronavirus variant found in Japan is on average 1.32 times as transmissible as the original virus.

Researchers at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases analyzed the transmissibility of the coronavirus variant first confirmed in Britain from cases reported in Japan during a 50-day period ending on March 22.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is reportedly adding more stops to his upcoming trip abroad as part of his push for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Government sources say plans are in the works for Suga to visit India and the Philippines as early as late April, after heading to Washington.

Suga has been working to deepen ties with the United States, Australia, India and other like-minded nations.

Activists supporting those seeking refuge in Japan say a government plan to revise the country's immigration law would constitute a human rights violation as it would enable forced repatriation.

Activists and lawyers raised concerns about the planned revision at a news conference on Wednesday.

The head of the Japan Medical Association has called the current situation of coronavirus infections in the country "the biggest crisis ever" since the outbreak began.

Nakagawa Toshio said at a news conference on Wednesday that the public is getting used to living with the virus and reaching the limit of their patience in refraining from going out or operating businesses. He noted that highly transmissible variants are now becoming the main source of infections.

Japan's western prefecture of Osaka reported 878 new cases of coronavirus infections on Wednesday, surpassing its daily record of 719 confirmed a day earlier.

Osaka remains the country's hotspot with a daily tally which has exceeded that of Tokyo for nine straight days.

Health officials reported 3,421 new cases of the coronavirus and 25 deaths in Japan as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The country's daily tally topped 3,000 for the first time since January 30, when 3,339 cases were confirmed.

NHK has learned that Tokyo prosecutors have decided not to ask the supreme court to review a case involving a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl, who was killed in Chiba Prefecture in 2017. This eliminates the possibility that the defendant will receive a death sentence.

The bereaved family members of Le Thi Nhat Linh told NHK about the prosecutors' decision.

A four-month-old panda cub has made its debut outdoors at a zoo in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan.

The female cub was born last November at Adventure World in Shirahama Town.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 555 new cases of the coronavirus in the capital on Wednesday.

The daily figure is the highest since mid-March when the second state of emergency declaration was lifted in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures.

NHK has learned that declassified diplomatic documents show the then Soviet Union considered making a range of proposals to Japan regarding four Soviet-controlled islands that Japan claims.

The islands are now controlled by Russia. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide sent a letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburg, on Friday.

Suga said in the letter, "It is with deep sadness that I have learned of the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, the Government and the people of the United Kingdom."