Japan's health ministry has approved use of a new drug developed by the British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca that could prevent serious illness or symptoms in people infected with the coronavirus.
The drug, called Evusheld, consists of antibodies that are injected. The health ministry gave the go-ahead for its use on Tuesday.
Yahoo Japan says it is banning the sale of about 4,000 species of endangered insects, amphibians, and other animals on its auction site.
The firm says the measure will take effect on September 29. The animals are registered on the Environment Ministry's red list of endangered species. They include the Okuwagata stag beetle and the Omurasaki butterfly.
Japanese companies are turning to a new style of business to provide fast and easy delivery to consumers. So-called quick commerce operations involve transporting food and other everyday necessities to nearby destinations in 30 minutes or less. Some firms are now taking steps to develop the service even further.
Yahoo Japan launched its quick commerce operation last year amid a surge in delivery orders in urban areas. It has now transformed three of its delivery hubs in Tokyo into shops with self-checkout systems. The company says this change will allow customers to look at the lineup of products in person before buying.
A survey in Japan has shown that about two-thirds of a group under the age of 20 who became moderately to severely ill from the coronavirus had no underlying health problems.
The Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine examined records pertaining to young people infected with the coronavirus between March 10 and August 15 this year, when most cases involved the Omicron variant.
The season's first catch of Pacific saury has been unloaded at a port in Kesennuma, northeastern Japan.
The port is known for its large hauls of the fish, which is an autumn delicacy in Japan, traditionally enjoyed as a grilled dish.
A panel of experts at Japan's health ministry has approved a COVID-19 antibody drug developed by British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.
The panel at a meeting on Monday gave the green light for the use of the Evusheld drug.
Opposition parties in Japan say the government should disclose security costs for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
The government decided last week to spend about 250 million yen, or about 1.8 million dollars, for the state funeral for Abe planned for September 27 in Tokyo.
Japan's top government spokesperson says Japan has lodged a protest with Russia for including two Japan-claimed islands as training grounds in Moscow's upcoming military exercises.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu was speaking to reporters on Monday.
A severe tropical storm is expected to approach Japan's Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific on Monday evening.
Japanese weather officials say that on Monday morning, Hinnamnor was over waters 310 kilometers east of one of the islands, Chichijima. It was traveling west at 30 kilometers per hour.
A summer dance event has been held in Tokyo's Suginami Ward. Spectators were allowed to attend in person. They had been unable to participate for the last two years, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Koenji Awa Odori festival used to be held every summer in Tokyo. But the pandemic forced organizers to cancel the annual event in 2020. Last year, viewers were only able to watch performances of the dances online.
The Japanese government is eyeing more support to help the tourism industry recover from the impact of the pandemic. This includes expanded subsidies for removing or renovating abandoned inns that can spoil the landscape.
The government launched a system two years ago to help hotel owners finance changes to their properties.
A major Japanese coffee company wants to help people feel even better about their morning cup of joe. UCC Holdings says it plans to move toward sustainable and ethical sourcing for its beans.
The company says its brands will only use coffee bean imports that meet its sustainability standards, such as production that conserves tropical rain forests. The firm also plans to ensure its beans are fair trade to give growers reasonable wages and treatment.
A Japan-US student exchange program with a long history has held its first face-to-face meetings in three years.
The Japan-America Student Conference, or JASC, was launched in 1934 as Japan's first international student exchange program. Former Japanese Prime Minister Miyazawa Kiichi and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were members.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 23,129 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
The daily tally for the capital is down about 4,300 from a week ago.