Fukuoka City, the operator of the key western Japanese port of Hakata, has drawn up a policy that rejects port calls by cruise ships until an effective treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 is established.
The policy is based on an ordinance on port operation and has been in effect since June.
Major mobile phone companies in Japan are using artificial intelligence in disinfecting efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Telecommunications firm KDDI launched the new system on Tuesday, which was developed by a startup company. The event was held at its "au" mobile phone outlet near the Ikebukuro railway station in Tokyo.
Japan's imperial family has decided to forgo their summer retreat outside Tokyo due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko spend several days every summer at the Suzaki Imperial Villa in Shizuoka Prefecture, or the Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi Prefecture.
Officials in Tokyo say 26 people died of heatstroke in the metropolitan area over nine days through Monday, as a severe heat wave continues to grip Japan.
The Medical Examiner's Office said about 80 percent of the victims were aged 70 or over.
Computer security experts in Japan are warning of an increased risk of cyberattacks, as many business people telecommute and use their computers in less secure environments.
The National center of Incident readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity notes that the coronavirus outbreak has changed the way people use computers.
Economic analysts are expecting Japan to post growth for its gross domestic product in the July-September period despite a historic downturn in the previous quarter.
Japan's Cabinet Office announced on Monday that GDP shrank at an annualized 27.8 percent in real terms in the April-June period compared with the previous quarter.
Temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of Japan on Monday as a heat wave continues to grip the country.
At 10 minutes past noon, the mercury rose to 41.1 degrees in the central Japanese city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. The figure equals the national record set in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, in July 2018.
A Japan Coast Guard patrol ship has left for waters off the Senkaku Islands, where Chinese fishing boats were seen operating on Monday.
The patrol vessel departed from Ishigaki Island in Japan's southwestern Okinawa Prefecture. This came after Beijing on Sunday lifted an annual fishing ban in the East China Sea, including waters off the Senkakus.
A South Korean court has reportedly called on a higher court to reach a decision on an appeal filed by Japan's Nippon Steel over a ruling that allows the steelmaker's assets to be seized for liquidation.
Nippon Steel on August 7 filed an immediate appeal to the Pohang branch of the Daegu District Court. It demands an injunction on procedures to sell its assets to compensate South Korean plaintiffs who say they were forced to work in the company's plants during World War Two.
Japan's welfare ministry has set up new sections to support the development and promotion of robots that can assist in nursing care.
The ministry this month opened six bases to support companies developing such robots, as well as 11 consultation centers for operators of nursing-care businesses across the country.
A Japanese classical music promotion group has measured how droplets spread during a performance, saying that the findings will help concerts return to how they were before the coronavirus pandemic.
The group made up of orchestras and music-related organizations conducted an experiment at a laboratory last month on 12 types of instruments including the trumpet and the French horn.
Major Japanese dining chain Pronto wants to reinvigorate the public's appetite for eating out by taking an approach that fits with the times. While the coronavirus has seen a fall in demand for larger gatherings, the company sees opportunity in catering to small groups, or even individuals.
Pronto opened a semi-standing wine bar in Tokyo's Minato Ward in late July. It targets mainly young working women seeking a quick bite and a drink before heading home.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it confirmed 161 new cases of coronavirus infection on Monday.
It is the first time since August 11 that the daily tally in the capital has fallen below 200.
The scorching heat currently gripping Japan has sent the temperature shooting up to 41.1 degrees Celsius in the central Japan city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The figure, reached 10 minutes past noon on Monday, ties the country's record high, recorded in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, in July 2018.