The Japanese government has started delivering cloth masks to every household in the country in a bid to deal with the shortage amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Post office workers began delivering packages containing two washable masks to homes in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward on Friday morning.
Workers at a care facility in Japan say the cloth masks provided by the government are too small for adults.
The Japanese government is sending two cloth masks to each household across the country from Friday.
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan has exceeded 9,000 as of Thursday. The figure includes people determined to be positive during airport quarantine checks, health ministry officials, and individuals who returned to Japan on chartered planes.
574 new cases were confirmed across the country, bringing the total to 9,296.
A Japanese research team says serious pneumonia symptoms caused by the coronavirus may be treatable by curbing the function of certain proteins related to the immune system.
The study was jointly led by Hirano Toshio, president of the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, and Professor Murakami Masaaki of Hokkaido University.
The Japanese government has expanded the state of emergency for the coronavirus outbreak to the entire country. The measure will remain in effect through May 6.
The government's coronavirus taskforce met at the prime minister's office late on Thursday.
The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and the International Olympic Committee have decided to work together to cut costs further for the postponed Games.
The 2020 summer Games have been postponed until the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Japanese Nursing Association has asked the government to pay special allowances to nurses for the risks they face in taking care of coronavirus patients.
The association sent a request letter to Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Kato Katsunobu on Wednesday.
The Japanese government is moving ahead with its decision to expand current areas under a state of emergency to everywhere across the country after it has received feedback from an advisory panel of experts.
The government declared the state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures last week to curb the spread of the coronavirus. It will be in place through May 6.
Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo says he plans to provide a blanket cash handout of 100,000 yen, or about 930 dollars, per person as part of economic measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Abe conveyed his plan to the head of junior coalition partner Komeito, Yamaguchi Natsuo, over the phone on Thursday. Abe said he intends to alter the government's supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2020 to secure the necessary funding.
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan has exceeded 9,000 as of Thursday evening. The figure includes people determined to be positive during airport quarantine checks, health ministry officials, and individuals who returned to Japan on chartered planes.
283 new cases were confirmed across the country, bringing the total to 9,005.
The operator of Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen line says it will cut the number of its train services linking Tokyo and Osaka by about 20 percent due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Central Japan Railway Company president Kaneko Shin made the announcement at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
Japan's government is considering expanding coverage of a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak to the entire country.
The government is set to ask its advisory panel of experts for opinions on Thursday before a formal decision is made by a coronavirus taskforce.
Japan's government has decided to expand the state of emergency for the coronavirus to the entire country.
Japan's government may offer 100,000 yen, or about 1,000 dollars, per person as part of economic measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
A senior official of the governing Liberal Democratic Party says Prime Minister Abe Shinzo discussed the matter with LDP Secretary General Nikai Toshihiro and Policy Research Council Chairman Kishida Fumio on Thursday.