The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Japan stood at 12,023 on Thursday.

The tally includes people tested at airport quarantine stations, health ministry officials, quarantine officers and individuals who returned to Japan from China on government-chartered planes.

Officials in Nagasaki Prefecture, western Japan, plan to carry out coronavirus tests on all the crew members of a cruise ship docked at the port.

The Italian-registered Costa Atlantica is at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard for repairs. Of the 623 crew members, 61 who showed symptoms were tested, and 34 were confirmed to have the virus.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on Wednesday called on people to continue their efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, two weeks after his declaration of a state of emergency.

Abe was speaking at a meeting of the government's coronavirus task force.

A passenger plane made landing at Narita Airport near Tokyo, carrying not passengers but masks from China.

Demand for vital medical supplies amid the coronavirus pandemic has been on the rise, while the number of overseas travelers has plunged.

Japan's minister in charge of anti-coronavirus measures says the government plans to announce as early as Thursday guidelines for prefectural governors to take tougher measures against businesses that defy the government's request to stay closed.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi spoke to reporters on Wednesday after he met with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko.

Japan's government panel of experts has offered 10 tips for reducing face-to-face contact by 80 percent to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

They include avoiding travel back to one's hometown during the upcoming long holidays and using a video chat link instead.

A landmark Ferris wheel in the Japanese city of Yokohama is being lit up with a message calling on people to stay home to help contain the coronavirus outbreak.

The world-class Ferris wheel with a diameter of 110 meters is usually a popular attraction at an amusement park near Tokyo. But it is currently out of service due to the park's closure.

A Japanese government panel of experts has called for continuing thorough efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

The experts held a meeting on Wednesday, two weeks after the government declared a state of emergency. Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi and health minister Kato Katsunobu attended the meeting. Nishimura is in charge of anti-coronavirus measures.

Officials in southwestern Japan have confirmed a cluster infection on an Italian cruise ship currently docked at a shipyard in Nagasaki prefecture.

A Nagasaki prefectural official says that out of 57 who have been tested, 33 have tested positive.

A Japanese government minister has expressed concern that efforts against the coronavirus may be insufficient.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi was speaking at a meeting of a government panel of experts on Wednesday. Nishimura is in charge of anti-coronavirus measures.

A Japanese theater is providing traditional kabuki plays for free on the internet. The plays, which were scheduled to be performed in March, were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kabukiza Theatre, located in Tokyo, made the rare decision to post the plays online. The dramas were performed without an audience.

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan stood at 11,543 on Tuesday after 390 new cases were detected nationwide.

The tally includes people tested at airport quarantine stations, health ministry officials, and individuals who returned to Japan on chartered planes.

Japan plans to ban entry of foreign citizens from more than 10 countries to help curb the coronavirus outbreak. This is in addition to the 73 countries and territories already banned.

The government has decided to deny entry to foreigners who have been in Russia, Belarus, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and others within 14 days before their arrival in Japan.

Japan's health ministry has issued a directive to local authorities to ensure that day care centers look after children of healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak.

The directive is intended to help medical workers avoid staying at home, or taking a leave of absence to care for their children when demand for medical services is rising.