Japan's health ministry will likely recommend that prefectural governments set criteria for hospitalizing coronavirus patients as part of efforts to ease the increasing burden on medical institutions.
As an example, the ministry referred to a system to be adopted by the Kanagawa prefectural government later this month. The prefecture had 13,125 confirmed cases as of Thursday, the third largest in the country following Tokyo and Osaka.
NHK has learned that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is expected to pay the largest portion of additional costs for next year's Olympics and Paralympics.
The extra spending is due to be shared by the metropolitan government, the central government, and the Games' organizing committee.
Officials in Japan's western prefecture of Osaka are urging all residents to refrain from leaving their homes for any non-essential reason until the middle of this month. This follows a surge in the number of coronavirus cases with severe symptoms.
Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "It's getting harder to provide treatment to people with serious symptoms. This is the right timing to issue a red alert. It's a declaration of an emergency in medical care. Our first priority will be protecting life."
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has said the government is planning to extend its Go To Travel discount campaign beyond the original expiry date of January 30 next year.
Suga discussed the subsidy program during a meeting of the government's tourism promotion taskforce.
Officials in Japan's western prefecture of Osaka plan to call on all residents to refrain from leaving their homes for any non-essential reason until mid-December. This follows a surge in the number of coronavirus cases with severe symptoms.
Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "It's getting harder to provide treatment to people with serious symptoms. This is the right timing to issue a red alert. It's a declaration of an emergency in medical care. Our first priority will be protecting life."
Kiyomizu Temple in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto has held a ceremony to mark the renovation of the wooden stage and the new roof of the main hall.
The Buddhist ritual at the main hall on Thursday was attended by 24 people, including the construction workers.
Organizers of next year's Tokyo Olympics say they have received refund applications for about 810,000 tickets.
The summer games were postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but purchased Olympic tickets remain valid.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo says he has not heard that prosecutors have asked to question him on a voluntary basis about annual parties for his supporters.
Asked by reporters about the request on Thursday, Abe replied, "I haven't heard about it."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 533 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
The daily tally for the previous day was 500.
NHK has learned that Tokyo prosecutors have asked to question former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo over annual parties held for his supporters.
Abe's supporters gathered for parties at Tokyo hotels on the eve of his annual cherry blossom viewing events.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu has declined to comment on media reports that Tokyo prosecutors want to question former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo about the annual parties for his supporters.
Kato said the matter is related to the activities of the investigative authorities.
A survey by a labor union has found that workers in the critical retail sector, including supermarkets and drugstores, have been subject to abusive customer behavior stemming from the new coronavirus outbreak.
Industrial union UA ZENSEN polled its members in the retail and service industries between July and September. About 27,000 responded.
Japan's Self-Defense Forces have invited members of the media to observe drills to rescue nationals in the event that they get caught in emergency situations overseas, including terrorist activities.
About 270 SDF members took part in the exercises on Wednesday. The drills were conducted at Camp Asaka which straddles Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, and at Hyakuri base in Ibaraki Prefecture.
People of a city in Iwate Prefecture that was hit by a tsunami in March 2011 have resumed cherry tree planting on a smaller scale after suspending it due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A non-profit organization continues tree planting in Rikuzentakata City to pass on to future generations the reality about the devastating force of tsunamis and the importance of evacuating to higher ground.