The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed a record 822 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Thursday.

The figure surpasses the previous record of 678 new infections reported on Wednesday.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has raised its healthcare alert to the highest level for the first time as coronavirus infections continue to spread.

Tokyo's advisory panel of infectious disease and public health experts said at a meeting on Thursday that the healthcare system is on the verge of a crisis.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have sent papers to prosecutors on a man in his 20s for the alleged online slander of professional wrestler and reality show star Kimura Hana, who committed suicide in May.

The 22-year-old Kimura was a cast member on the Japanese reality show "Terrace House" broadcast by Fuji Television.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has raised its healthcare system alert to the highest level as the number of cases continues to surge.

Tokyo Electric Power Company has opened a facility for employees to learn from the meltdowns at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused by the quake and tsunami in 2011.

The meltdowns at three of the reactors at the plant in northeastern Japan forced many residents to flee their homes and evacuate.

Japan and the United States have decided to put off seeking a conclusion on Japan's share of the cost of stationing US forces in the country before the end of the year.

The two sides began working-level talks on the matter last month as the current arrangement, which is agreed upon every five years, is set to expire in March.

In Japan, coronavirus cases continue to climb --- at the end of a three-week period dubbed "crucial" to containment efforts.

Officials say the national tally for Wednesday is around 3,000 --- making it the second worst day on record.

Japanese prosecutors have indicted a 42-year-old man over an arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto.

The fire at the Kyoto Animation studio in July last year killed 36 people and injured 32.

A broad swath of Japan is digging itself out from a massive snowfall. Weather officials are warning of slippery roads - and even avalanches - for areas stretching from Hokkaido down to western Japan.

Residents of a community north of Tokyo spent the morning clearing away a blanket of fresh snow. A record 128 centimeters of the white stuff fell over Minakami Town in a single day.

Japan's Supreme Court has ordered the government to pay more than 22 million dollars in compensation to former construction workers who developed lung diseases caused by asbestos.

The ruling is the first holding the government responsible in lawsuits filed by former construction workers and bereaved families. The plaintiffs say former workers developed lung cancer and other illnesses after inhaling asbestos at construction sites. They have demanded that the state and manufacturers of the material pay damages.

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is facing criticism for dining out with more than five people despite the government's call to avoid such gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The opposition criticized Suga for dining at a steak restaurant in Tokyo with ruling Liberal Democratic Party officials Nikai Toshihiro and Hayashi Motoo and other celebrities.

A Japanese defense unit specializing in outer space disclosed on Wednesday contents of its training. The unit will become fully operational in fiscal 2023.

The Space Operations Squadron was launched in May to protect Japanese satellites from foreign attack and space debris. The Self-Defense Forces rely on satellites for reconnaissance and communication.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials confirmed 678 new cases of coronavirus infection in the capital on Wednesday.

The figure is a record high single-day tally, surpassing the 621 reported last Saturday.

A new medical facility designed to exclusively treat COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate symptoms opened in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government renovated a former healthcare facility in Fuchu City. It is the first facility run by the metropolitan government that is designed to care exclusively for coronavirus patients who need to be hospitalized.