The death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China has reached 811, surpassing the number of worldwide deaths from the SARS epidemic in 2003.

China's National Health Commission reported 89 new deaths on Saturday.

Relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea and their supporters have mourned the death of the mother of abductee Keiko Arimoto.

Kayoko Arimoto died at the age of 94 on Monday.

A Japanese industry group that manages the Kobe beef brand has expressed sadness about the death of US basketball star Kobe Bryant, whose name is said to come from the famous meat product.

Tetsunori Tanimoto of the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association said he was shocked to hear Bryant had been killed in a helicopter accident.

A South Korean woman has visited the station in Tokyo where her son was killed 19 years ago while attempting to save a man who had fallen onto the tracks.

The 26-year-old student, Lee Su-hyon, and a Japanese photographer jumped from the platform at JR Shin-Okubo station to try to save the man on January 26, 2001. All three were hit by a train and killed.

A Japanese government survey shows about 80 percent of respondents support maintaining the death penalty.

The Cabinet Office conducted the survey on the country's use of capital punishment in November 2019, covering 3,000 people aged 18 or older. 1,572 people responded.