Business sentiment among major Japanese firms has turned positive for the first time in three quarters.
The government's latest business-sentiment survey shows the index up 1.3 points to plus 0.4 for the July-to-September period.
People in central Japan continue to mourn one week after a 3-year-old girl died of heat stroke after being left behind in a locked school bus.
Kawamoto China died last Monday after spending about 5 hours trapped in the bus operated by Kawasaki Kindergarten in the city of Makinohara in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa has expressed his intention to improve Japan-China relations. He said building constructive and stable bilateral ties is a mission taken over from predecessors as a responsibility to descendants.
Hayashi made the remark in a video message at a symposium held on Monday. The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, and China's embassy in Tokyo held the event ahead of the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties on September 29.
Reelected Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny says the results of Sunday's gubernatorial election demonstrate the will of the people of Okinawa to oppose the relocation of a US base within the prefecture.
Tamaki was speaking to reporters on Monday a day after securing a second term as Okinawa governor.
Typhoon Muifa is moving slowly toward the southwestern islands of Okinawa Prefecture, unleashing heavy rains and stormy winds.
Weather officials say the strong typhoon is approaching Ishigaki Island and the storm zone has engulfed most of the Sakishima Islands, including Ishigaki.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu says the government will steadily continue the work needed to relocate the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture.
Matsuno was commenting on Monday on the reelection of Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny, who is opposed to the base's transfer from Ginowan City to Henoko in Nago City. Tamaki won Sunday's gubernatorial race over a candidate backed by the ruling coalition.
Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny has won a second term in Sunday's election.
The 62-year-old Tamaki ran as an independent. He was supported by opposition parties. His main rival was former Ginowan mayor Sakima Atsushi, who was backed by the ruling coalition.
The storm zone of Typhoon Muifa has engulfed some islands in Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says that as of 10 p.m. on Sunday, Muifa was situated over waters 100 kilometers south of Okinawa's Ishigaki Island and was slowly moving north.
Sunday marks 10 years since the Japanese government purchased some of the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture from a private Japanese owner.
Chinese government ships have repeatedly entered Japanese territorial waters around the islands.
Japan's National Center for Global Health and Medicine says an increasing percentage of people are dying after developing moderate symptoms of COVID-19. It also says many of them had pre-existing conditions that worsened after they became infected.
The center analyzed the data of 2,861 COVID-19 patients who died after being admitted to hospitals across the country through late August.
NHK projects that Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny is certain to win a second term in Sunday's election.
The projections are based on exit polls and information collected before the vote.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 7,750 new cases of coronavirus infection on Sunday.
The number was down nearly 1,900 from a week earlier. The daily tally in the capital has fallen week-on-week for 21 straight days.
Weather officials in Japan say a powerful typhoon is approaching Okinawa. They warn Typhoon Muifa could bring strong winds and rough seas to some areas.
The Meteorological Agency says Muifa is moving northwest over waters south of Ishigaki Island in Okinawa on Sunday afternoon, Japan time.
Weather officials in Japan warn a powerful typhoon is approaching the southern prefecture of Okinawa. They say Typhoon Muifa could bring strong winds and rough seas to some areas.
The Meteorological Agency says Muifa was moving northwest over waters south of Okinawa on Sunday morning, Japan time. It says the storm was traveling at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.