Japan has hit a record high in daily coronavirus infections for a third day in a row. Officials say more than 1,500 cases were confirmed on Friday.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said, "We are closely watching the situation with a sense of high alert. We are prioritizing testing. We will conduct tests extensively to detect and isolate virus carriers."

Japan's government and major US pharmaceutical company Pfizer have reached an agreement over the supply of a coronavirus vaccine.

Japanese health minister Kato Katsunobu told reporters on Friday that under the deal, if Pfizer succeeds in developing the vaccine, it will supply Japan with 120 million doses for 60 million people by the end of June, 2021. A person needs to be vaccinated twice.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo says the government will carry out economic and fiscal reforms as the coronavirus outbreak is expected to further strain state finances.

Abe made the pledge after the Cabinet Office presented its latest projections at a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy on Friday.

Japan has hit a new daily record of coronavirus infections. Nearly 1,500 cases were confirmed on Friday, and the figure is expected to rise further by the end of the day.

Tokyo also saw a record high number of cases, 463. That brings the total number of infections in the capital to nearly 12,700 with more than half coming in July.

A government panel of experts has proposed assessing Japan's coronavirus outbreak in four stages, so that necessary countermeasures can be taken before the situation worsens.

The panel came up with the idea at a meeting on Friday held amid a rise in nationwide infections.

Japan's health ministry says it has reached an agreement with major US pharmaceutical company Pfizer over the supply of a coronavirus vaccine.

Under the deal, if Pfizer succeeds in developing the vaccine, it will supply Japan with 120 million doses for 60 million people by the end of June, 2021.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is reporting another record for newly confirmed infections for a second day in a row.

The trend is compelling local officials to urge residents to do what they can to contain the spread of the virus.

The Japanese government has decided to set aside around 100 billion yen, or 960 million dollars, for people affected by record rainfall.

The spending package was approved by the Cabinet on Friday.

Japan's average life expectancy reached record highs for both men and women last year.

The health and welfare ministry says the average lifespan was 87.45 years for women and 81.41 for men.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says she may have to consider declaring a state of emergency in the Japanese capital, as she reported a single-day record of 463 new coronavirus cases on Friday.

This is the first time Tokyo's daily tally has surpassed 400. The figure is nearly 100 more than the 367 cases reported on Thursday. The number of patients in serious condition stands at 16, down six from the day before.

The number of seriously ill coronavirus patients in Japan stood at 90 on Thursday. The figure has tripled in the past three weeks.

By prefecture, Tokyo had the highest number at 22, followed by 16 in Osaka and 10 in Kanagawa.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko reported 463 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Friday.

This is the first time Tokyo's daily tally has surpassed 400. The figure is nearly 100 more than the 367 cases reported on Thursday.

Japanese government officials are discussing the spread of coronavirus infections across the country at a subcommittee meeting.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi, who is also in charge of the coronavirus response, and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Kato Katsunobu are among those attending the meeting on Friday. Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko and Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi are also participating online.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say they expect to confirm more than 460 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday.

This would be the first time the daily tally for the capital has exceeded 400. Tokyo confirmed 367 new infections on Thursday.