The Japanese government has drafted interim guidelines on coronavirus vaccines. The draft shows that medical professionals and elderly citizens will be among the first to be treated.

It says medical workers are at higher risk of infection and that elderly people are more likely to develop serious symptoms.

Japanese authorities reported 485 new cases of the coronavirus nationwide on Thursday, including 195 in Tokyo.

The total number of cases in Japan now stands at 81,315. This includes cases found during airport quarantine checks, as well as 712 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked near Tokyo earlier this year.

Experts have maintained the coronavirus alert level for Tokyo at the second highest on a four-point scale, and warned that vigilance is needed over the effects of the four-day holiday through Tuesday.

Officials of the Tokyo metropolitan government and experts on public health and infectious diseases met on Thursday to assess the coronavirus situation.

Japan's Defense Ministry says it is considering sea-based alternatives to the Aegis Ashore missile defense system. Earlier this year, the ministry abandoned a plan to deploy the land-based system at two locations.

Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo disclosed the sea-based options at a meeting of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers on Thursday.

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in to take steps to improve the strained relationship between the two countries in their first telephone conversation.

Suga and Moon spoke for about 20 minutes on Thursday at South Korea's request. The conversation began at 11 a.m.

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that his country will continue to work with the United Nations in the fight against the coronavirus.

Suga and Guterres held a teleconference for 20 minutes on Thursday morning.

Tropical Storm Dolphin is bringing strong winds to the Kanto region around Tokyo, and may bring downpours to the eastern part of the country through Saturday. Officials are urging people to stay alert for possible mudslides and flooding in low-lying areas, as well as wind gusts and high waves.

The Meteorological Agency says the storm was at sea 280 kilometers south-southeast of Choshi in Chiba Prefecture, neighboring Tokyo, as of 11 a.m. Thursday, Japan time. It says the storm was almost stationary.

Japan's labor ministry says more than 60,000 people in the country have lost or are about to lose their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The ministry has been checking for cases of workers who have been fired or have not had their contracts renewed because their employers are struggling with poor sales.

Severe Tropical Storm Dolphin could bring downpours to the eastern part of the country through Saturday. Weather officials are urging people to stay alert for possible mudslides and flooding and low-lying areas, as well as wind gusts and high waves.

The Meteorological Agency says the storm was 270 kilometers southeast of the port city of Choshi in Chiba Prefecture neighboring Tokyo as of 6 a.m. Thursday, Japan time. It was moving northeast at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour.

Severe Tropical Storm Dolphin could bring downpours to the eastern part of the country through Friday. Weather officials are urging people to stay on alert for possible mudslides and flooding in low-lying areas, as well as gusts and high waves.

The Meteorological Agency says the storm was 200 kilometers east-northeast of Hachijojima Island as of the start of Thursday, Japan time. It was moving northeast at a speed of about 30 kilometers per hour.

The government of Japan may ease restrictions on entry into the country by people from around the world next month.

At present, people from 159 countries and territories are denied entry in principle. But the government is holding talks to ease restrictions with more than a dozen nations and territories where the infection is under control. The government has already resumed travel for businesspeople from Vietnam, Taiwan and elsewhere.

The latest NHK opinion poll shows that Japan's new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has an approval rating of 62 percent.

The survey conducted by telephone on Monday and Tuesday targeted 2,214 people. Of those polled, 1,270 people, or 57 percent, responded.

Two Japanese researchers are among potential Nobel laureates in a list released by a US scientific information service firm. This year's winners will be announced starting from October 5.

Clarivate Analytics has released a list of 24 influential researchers from six countries whose work, it says, is worthy of a Nobel Prize. The firm chose them after analyzing about 50 million papers.

Severe Tropical Storm Dolphin is heading toward Japan and could bring downpours to the eastern part of the country through Friday.

Weather officials are urging people to stay on alert for possible mudslides and flooding in low-lying areas, as well as thunderstorms, tornadoes and hailstorms.