Officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 168 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday.

The daily tally for the capital has remained below 200 for the second day in a row.

Officials are celebrating a successful launch of a Japanese rocket. It's part of the United Arab Emirates mission to Mars. Scientists and researchers in the UAE hope it will shed new light on the red planet.

The Hope probe began its 7-month journey to Mars on Monday morning. It was carried into space by an "H2A" rocket from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.

A Japanese rocket has been launched, carrying the United Arab Emirates' Mars explorer into space.

The "H2A" rocket carrying the "Hope" probe lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan on Monday morning, local time.

An association of Japanese prefectural governors is urging the central government to make changes in the law to make it easier to enforce requests for businesses to close to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

In a video conference on Sunday, the National Governors' Association agreed to include a request for legal revisions in their emergency proposals.

Officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 188 cases of coronavirus infection on Sunday.

This is the first time in four days that the number of new cases in the capital has fallen below 200.

UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu Izumi will attend ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August to mark the 75th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the Japanese cities.

Nakamitsu decided to travel after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave up his trip to Hiroshima due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 660 new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Japan. It's the highest number of daily infections since the state of emergency was lifted on May 25.

Tokyo reported 290 new infections on Saturday. It's the third consecutive day for the capital to confirm over 200 new cases. On Friday, the metropolis reported 293 infections ... a record high.

Actor Miura Haruma called on people to watch his TV dramas in his final messages on social media. The popular Japanese actor died on Saturday in an apparent suicide.

In the July 10 post on Instagram, Miura wrote about an NHK drama on the theme of World War Two due to air next month. He said he would be happy if people of all generations take interest in the drama and watch it.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials reported 290 cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday.

This is the third consecutive day for the capital to confirm more than 200 new cases. On Friday, Tokyo reported 293 infections -- a record high.

Police sources say a popular Japanese actor, Miura Haruma, died on Saturday.

He was found hanging by the neck in his home in Minato Ward and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 30 years old.

Saturday marks exactly one year since the deadly arson attack at a studio of Kyoto Animation in Kyoto, Japan.

The blaze on July 18 last year left 36 employees dead and 33 others injured. It was the worst mass-killing in Japan in about three decades.

The government of Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, says 86 people tested positive for the new coronavirus on Saturday.

This is the first time since April 20 that daily infections in the prefecture have topped 80. Saturday's figure is the third highest on record.

Officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 290 cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday.

This is the third consecutive day for the capital to confirm more than 200 new cases. On Friday, Tokyo reported 293 infections, which was a record high.

The head of the International Olympic Committee has suggested that holding the Tokyo Games next year with fewer spectators should be considered as an option.

The IOC met via video link on Friday for its first general assembly since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.