Japan's government is keeping an eye on the confrontation between the US and China that grew more intense with a tit-for-tat closure of consulates in each country.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide stressed the importance of stable relations between the US and China.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say 131 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed on Monday.

It is the first time in seven days that the daily tally in the capital has been below 200, but the 19th straight day of more than 100 cases.

The mayor of Yoron, a remote island town in southwestern Japan, is urging people to refrain from visiting due to a recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

Yama Motomune spoke to NHK after 34 cases were confirmed in the five days through Sunday. He pointed to the limited medical capacity in Yoron, a popular tourist destination in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Intermittent bouts of torrential rain continue to pound wide areas of Japan.

Weather officials say 42 millimeters of rain was recorded between 2 and 3 p.m. in Yokote City in the northern prefecture of Akita. In the same period, 31 millimeters was recorded in Otoyo Town in the southwestern prefecture of Kochi.

Internationally renowned Japanese fashion designer Yamamoto Kansai has died of leukemia. He was 76.

Yamamoto's office says he passed away last Tuesday at a Tokyo hospital where he was being treated for the disease since early this year.

The Japanese government says it will begin encouraging people to work and enjoy a vacation at the same time, a concept known as "workation," to support tourism amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide spoke on Monday at a meeting of government officials to discuss tourism strategy.

Sales at major restaurant chains across Japan contracted by double digits in June, the first month after the government lifted the coronavirus-related nationwide state of emergency.

The Japan Food Service Association says revenue was 21.9 percent lower than in the same month last year. It was the fourth consecutive month of a year-on-year drop, though the margin was less than in April or May when the emergency declaration was in place.

A railway operator is testing disinfectant robots at a station in Tokyo to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Media personnel were invited to view the test on Monday at Takanawa Gateway Station on the Yamanote Line, which is operated by East Japan Railway Company, or JR East. The station opened in March.

The Japanese government is pushing ahead with plans to get the economy back on track even as the outbreak continues to spread.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide said, "I think it's necessary to strike a balance of social and economic activities while taking effective measures to prevent infection."

Data on capital investment by Japanese companies for the January-March period has been revised down, after the impact of the coronavirus pandemic became clearer.

The survey by the Finance Ministry targeted roughly 30,000 firms with capital equivalent to at least 94,000 dollars.

Policymakers at the Bank of Japan say there are signs the economy is starting to recover from the impact of the coronavirus.

The bank on Monday released a summary of a two-day policy meeting that ended on July 15.

Restaurants in Japan are seeing their revenue tick up again, two months after the government lifted a declaration of emergency over the coronavirus. But one new survey has found that customer traffic is still only about half the level seen this time last year.

Tokyo-based IT firm Toreta compiled data from about 5,800 restaurants across Japan. The company makes systems for taking reservations and managing customer information.

Trading began Monday on a new comprehensive derivatives exchange in Osaka, western Japan. The aim is to attract investment from around the world with the one-stop trading platform for financial and commodities futures.

The newly integrated exchange handles contracts for precious metals like gold and silver and farm products such as corn that were transferred from Tokyo. Investors will also be able to trade the Osaka Exchange's financial futures instruments linked to the Nikkei stock average.

Over 800 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Japan on Sunday. The cases are spreading not only in Tokyo but beyond its borders.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials reported 239 new infections in the capital. It's the sixth straight day that the figure for Tokyo has topped 200.