Japanese lawmakers have just enacted legislation that will allow tougher enforcement of anti-virus rules. The legal revisions come as eleven prefectures -- including Tokyo -- remain under a state of emergency.
The revised laws will allow officials to fine people or businesses that break rules.
Japan's Diet is expected to enact a plan to revise three laws to help Japan more effectively tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The three are the special anti-coronavirus law, the infectious disease control law and the quarantine law.
A member of the Upper House of Japan's Diet has submitted her resignation two weeks after being found guilty of vote buying in the election in which she won her seat.
Kawai Anri and her husband, former justice minister Kawai Katsuyuki, were accused of bribing local politicians in Hiroshima Prefecture before the 2019 Upper House election.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials confirmed 676 new cases of the coronavirus in the capital on Wednesday.
The daily tally has remained below 1,000 for six days in a row.
Japan and the United States have discussed Japan's contribution to the cost of stationing US forces in the country for the first time since President Joe Biden took office.
The working-level talks were held via video link on Tuesday.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to take additional measures against the coronavirus to improve overburdened healthcare services during the extended state of emergency.
Tokyo officials drew up the measures on Tuesday after the central government decided to keep the state of emergency in place until March 7 in Tokyo and 9 other prefectures.
Japan's government is extending the coronavirus state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and eight other prefectures for a month, until March 7.
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide announced the decision in a meeting of the coronavirus taskforce on Tuesday. Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi, who is tasked with the country's coronavirus response, and Health Minister Tamura Norihisa also attended.
A recent survey in Japan suggests nearly 70 percent of people with hearing loss have positive opinions about online communications widely introduced during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dialogue Japan Society conducted the online survey in January. One hundred and eleven people, including students and office workers, responded.
The Japanese government is extending its coronavirus state of emergency until March 7 for Tokyo, Osaka and eight other prefectures.
The operator of clothing chain Uniqlo says it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from its factory and other activities to virtually zero by 2050.
Fast Retailing announced the carbon neutrality goal and measures to achieve it at an online news conference on Tuesday.
Tennis player Osaka Naomi has won her first match of the season in two straight sets in Melbourne, Australia.
World No. 3 Osaka played on Tuesday in the second round of the Gippsland Trophy, a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open that is to kick off next week. It was Osaka's first match since winning the US Open in September.
US space agency NASA says it has scheduled the next launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule after April 20. The spacecraft will carry four astronauts to the International Space Station for a crew member rotation.
The launch will be operated by SpaceX, under contract with NASA, following the first launch last November.
Japan's government is set to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and eight other prefectures as public health officials try to get a handle on the coronavirus situation.
The measure will now remain in place in those areas until March 7.
Japan has asked the European Union for cooperation in its efforts to secure a stable supply of coronavirus vaccines from the bloc.
Ministers from Japan and the EU held a video conference on Monday. The meeting is held regularly to discuss trade issues, based on the Economic Partnership Agreement which came into effect in 2019.