Regional gaps in coronavirus infections have emerged since the state of emergency was completely lifted in Japan a month ago. Tokyo and urban areas continue to report many cases, while 17 prefectures have not had any new infections in the past month.

Thursday marks exactly one month since the emergency ended on May 25.

Japan's Defense Minister Kono Taro says the government will withdraw a multi-billion-dollar plan to deploy the land-based missile defense system, known as Aegis Ashore.

Kono said, "The National Security Council discussed the matter and decided to give up on the plan to deploy Aegis Ashore in two prefectures, Akita and Yamaguchi."

A flight from Japan to Vietnam has taken off for the first time since the two countries agreed to ease travel restrictions which were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A plane carrying 150 passengers, mainly businesspeople, left Narita Airport near Tokyo on Thursday. The airline provided them with protective gowns and face masks.

The Japanese government says it has lodged a strong protest with China over the country's naming of underwater geographical features in areas believed to be around the Senkaku Islands.

The Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are controlled by Japan, and claimed by China and Taiwan.

Torrential rains have drenched southwestern Japan. Weather officials are warning of possible mudslides and flooding in the region.

The Meteorological Agency said damp air was flowing towards the rain front, creating unstable atmospheric conditions over northern Kyushu and bringing rain clouds into the area.

Japanese Defense Minister Kono Taro says the government has abandoned its plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system in Yamaguchi and Akita prefectures.

Kono announced on Monday last week that the deployment plan had been suspended. He explained the background to the decision at a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday that was attended by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and some Cabinet members.

The number of coronavirus cases has been rising sharply at airport quarantine among people arriving in Japan even though the epidemic is subsiding in many parts of the country.

The health ministry says 131 people were confirmed to have the coronavirus at airport quarantine stations from May 25, when a state of emergency was completely lifted in Japan, to Wednesday.

The International Olympic Committee has presented specific proposals to simplify the 2020 Tokyo Games, which have been postponed by one year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The IOC and the games' organizing committee in Tokyo earlier reached an agreement to simplify the games to cut down on expenses and reduce risks of a virus outbreak.

The Japanese government has held the National Security Council after its defense ministry decided to halt a plan deploying a land-based missile defense system called Aegis Ashore.

Defense Minister Kono Taro announced the decision last week, citing the need to modify the missile so that its booster falls safely. To avoid a vacuum in the country's defense, the government plans to use existing Aegis-equipped ships and ground-based PAC3 interceptor systems.

As Japan reopens its economy, NHK has discovered that the government has influenced the findings of independent experts helping to shape its coronavirus policies.

Sources say the administration asked the panel to change some of its advisories out of fear they would spark panic.

The Japanese government says it will reorganize the expert group that gives advice on the country's coronavirus measures in order to reflect broader views on policies.

Nishimura Yasutoshi, the minister in charge of the national coronavirus response, on Wednesday referred to the current panel of experts.

Japan's weather officials say higher-than-normal average temperatures are expected across the country from July through September.

The Meteorological Agency said on Wednesday that two high-pressure systems -- one from the Pacific Ocean and the other from the Tibetan Plateau -- will overlap near Japan in the next three months.

Official events have resumed at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for the first time in about three months, with measures in place to prevent coronavirus infections.

On Wednesday, Emperor Naruhito received credentials from the new ambassadors of Tonga and Rwanda. It was his first ceremonial duty at the palace since late March.

NHK has learned that Japanese authorities asked a government panel of experts tasked with coming up with measures against the coronavirus to change the wording of its proposals in order to avoid sparking panic in society.

Panel members presented their views and proposals on ten occasions, as part of their voluntary efforts to promote measures to fight the outbreak.