Japan is looking into allowing the sale of dual take-home tests for the coronavirus and the flu. Officials hope to head off a surge in infections that could once again overwhelm hospitals.
Medical staff are already using the antigen kits. With Japan dealing with the onset of an 8th COVID wave, they say the new tool comes in handy.
Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has expressed his gratitude to the public, issuing a statement as his cabinet resigned on Wednesday.
Reflecting on his nearly eight years in office, he said he has made all-out efforts to address both domestic and diplomatic challenges during his term. He said some of the goals were achieved, while many others were unfortunately not.
Kyoto City in western Japan has decided to double the number of staff at public health offices by the end of September to better deal with novel coronavirus infections.
The city will move up hiring plans while confirming the wishes of new workers. It will also have staffing agencies send more medical nurses and public health nurses. It aims to have 66 workers by the end of this month.
The three candidates running for the leadership of Japan's main governing Liberal Democratic Party took part in a public debate in Tokyo on Saturday. The winner of the leadership race is set to be the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide, former LDP Secretary-General Ishiba Shigeru, and LDP policy chief Kishida Fumio discussed topics including a special law to deal with the coronavirus, diplomacy and national security.
The Japanese government may end its cap on the number of spectators at public events set at a maximum of 5,000, if new coronavirus cases are assessed to be on the decline.
Nishimura Yasutoshi, minister in charge of the coronavirus response, told reporters on Wednesday that the governing bodies of Japan's professional baseball and soccer are asking for the limit to be eased.
Public schools in Tottori Prefecture in western Japan were reopened for the first time on Thursday after they were closed on April 27.
The decision came after Japan's government allowed prefectures, other than those under a special alert, to ease some of the restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is seeking more cooperation from the public to avoid close contact with others to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Abe spoke to reporters on Tuesday, two weeks after he declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and six prefectures. The state of emergency was later expanded to cover the entire nation.