The Japanese government plans to offer subsidies to universities and research institutes that allow their equipment to be used for PCR tests.

The education and science ministry says that as of early August, 71 university hospitals and 27 universities and research institutes across the country had equipment that would allow up to 4,400 PCR tests to be conducted per day.

Japan's health ministry has allowed dentists to carry out coronavirus tests when physicians and other qualified health care personnel are not available.

The ministry notified local governments that they can have dentists conduct PCR tests at local coronavirus testing centers as a special measure.

Japan's health ministry is planning to allow dentists to carry out tests for the coronavirus in an effort to increase testing capacity.

The ministry presented the plan at an expert panel meeting on Sunday.

Japan's health ministry has decided to begin clinical trials on patients infected by the new coronavirus with a drug used to treat HIV.

Thailand and other countries have reported that the symptoms of coronavirus patients improved after they were administered antiviral drugs that are used to prevent the onset of AIDS.

Japan's health ministry says authorities will conduct virus tests at airports and seaports to speed up the process of identifying those infected with the new coronavirus.

Samples from suspected patients are now being sent for testing to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases or public health institutes across Japan. But the ministry sees the need to accelerate the process as infections of the virus spreads.