Japan's minister in charge of the coronavirus response says the government will take all possible measures in areas where infections are surging.
Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi said on an NHK program on Sunday that the government is responding with a strong sense of urgency as the country's daily new cases continue to hit record levels.
Japan's government is drafting its budget for the next financial year. Fighting COVID-19 is at the heart of its plans. It also wants to shift to a greener and more digital society.
Monitoring risks will be a key focus in the budget, as the pandemic casts its shadow over the economy.
Officials in Japan reported over 1,000 new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row. In particular, the northern prefecture of Hokkaido is under the spotlight as infections there are surging.
Hokkaido Governor Suzuki Naomichi said, " We are deeply alarmed by this danger. Winter is coming, so this is a crucial time as we work to keep the outbreak in check."
Japan's minister in charge of affairs related to a group of islands known as the Northern Territories says the government plans to use social media to raise awareness among young people.
Russia controls the islands. Japan claims them. The government maintains they are an inherent part of Japan's territory, and were illegally occupied after World War Two.
Japan's new Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has announced a new Cabinet and pledged to address priorities including regulatory reform, and push forward with policies of the former government.
Suga selected the Cabinet members after he was chosen as Japan's 99th prime minister in the Diet on Wednesday.
A Japanese government panel is calling for increased investment in digitization to address problems that surfaced during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy on Monday presented a draft of this year's basic policies for economic and fiscal management to be adopted in July.
Japan's minister in charge of the nation's coronavirus response and the governor of Tokyo have agreed to cooperate on measures to curb the rising trend of coronavirus infections in the capital's nightlife districts.
Nishimura Yasutoshi and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko met on Sunday. The mayor of Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, Yoshizumi Kenichi, joined the meeting. Shinjuku is home to the Kabukicho district and other nightlife hubs.
Nissan will pull back from Europe and elsewhere to focus on the United States, China and Japan under a plan that represents a new strategic direction for the embattled carmaker, people with direct knowledge of the plan told Reuters.
The "operational performance plan" is due to be announced on May 28 and goes beyond fixing problems from ousted leader Carlos Ghosn's aggressive expansion drive, the people said.