The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 15,428 new cases of coronavirus infection on Wednesday.

Tokyo officials said 28 people died from the virus.

Japan's annual whaling season has now reached its peak. It is three years since the country withdrew from the International Whaling Commission and resumed commercial hunting. But whaling companies have found that making their products popular with consumers is a major challenge.

The landing of a large Bryde's whale caught off northern Japan was shown to the media at Tokyo's wholesale fish market on Wednesday.

A powerful typhoon that is bringing violent winds to parts of Okinawa, southwestern Japan, is expected to approach the prefecture's main island later this week.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says Typhoon Hinnamnor was advancing west-southwest over the seas off the island of Minami Daitojima in Okinawa Prefecture at 25 kilometers per hour as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says the government will further ease COVID-19 entry restrictions by more than doubling the number of daily arrivals.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kishida said international exchanges have recently resumed around the world, and Japan will join such moves. He added that he hopes to further relax measures to the same levels as other Group of Seven countries.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he will attend lawmakers' meetings while the Diet is out of session to further explain the significance of holding a state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

Kishida noted on Wednesday that Abe had assumed a heavy responsibility as the country's longest-serving prime minister.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has apologized for alleged links between politicians of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the former Unification Church.

Now known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, the religious group has been accused of shady practices. It has been in the spotlight since former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was shot and killed by a man who reportedly said he believed Abe was close to the group. The suspect told police the group bankrupted his mother.

NHK has obtained the Japanese government's draft outline of procedures for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

The government-funded event will be held at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on September 27. It will start at 2 p.m.

Japan's Imperial Household Agency says it plans to start actively sharing information on social media to provide more accurate news about the Imperial family.

The agency said on Tuesday that it will create a new position of a senior official to upgrade its public relations system, and add two officials dedicated to the work. The agency has included the plan in its budget request for the next fiscal year.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has recovered from COVID-19. He resumed official duties in person on Wednesday.

Kishida tested positive for the coronavirus on August 21. After that, he worked online from his official residence, which is located next to the prime minister's office.

The World Health Organization says its top director in the Western Pacific has been placed on leave. Kasai Takeshi has been the target of a months-long in-house probe. He is accused of making racist remarks.

The WHO made an announcement on Tuesday. It did not give a reason for putting the Japanese doctor on leave or indicate how long he will be suspended.

Japan's health ministry has approved the use of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for booster shots for children aged 5 to 11.

The vaccine of the US pharmaceutical firm is the first to get the ministry's permission to be used as boosters for the age group.

A Japanese fishing town says a giant statue of a squid has had a huge economic effect, though it drew criticism for having been paid for with an emergency COVID-19 relief grant.

Noto Town in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan spent about 180,000 dollars in grant money to cover most of the cost of building the statue at a tourist facility. The statue is 13 meters long and 4 meters tall at its highest point. The town is known for its squid fishery.

A district court in Japan has sentenced a former male babysitter to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting 20 children.

The Tokyo District Court handed down the ruling to Hashimoto Akinori, 31 years old, on Tuesday.

A court in western Japan has sentenced a man to four years in prison for setting fire to buildings associated with ethnic Koreans.

The Kyoto District Court on Tuesday handed down the sentence demanded by prosecutors to Arimoto Shogo.