For the first time in 12 years, Japan's education ministry has revised its guidelines for teachers on how to instruct students about their behavior. The guidelines call for schools to review their rules frequently to prevent excessively strict guidance.
The ministry released the guidelines on Tuesday. The revision reflects discussions by experts.
The Japanese government plans to come up with guidelines to prevent coronavirus infections among people who visit shrines or attend other large-scale events during the New Year holidays.
Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi spoke at the inaugural meeting of an expert panel on Friday.
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.
The mid-summer holidays in Japan are a time when many people visit their hometowns and family. Ahead of the "bon" holidays next week, the government plans to set guidelines to prevent travelers from spreading the coronavirus.
Some local leaders are worried that people living in city areas may spread the virus when they visit their smaller locales for family reunions.
Japan's defense minister says changes in the country's defense guidelines are possible, following the government's decision to suspend a plan to deploy the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system.
Kono Taro said at a news conference on Friday that the government's decision to halt the plan will influence the country's national security strategy.
Japan's biggest business federation has drawn up guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of coronavirus infection in workplaces. They are intended for use by companies when resuming operations in full.
NHK has learned that the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, made two sets of guidelines -- one for office workers and the other for factory workers.
A government panel of experts on Monday reaffirmed that the rate of newly confirmed coronavirus cases is on the decline in Japan, but that a resurgence could overwhelm medical systems. They agreed that it is desirable for the current restrictions to remain in place for the time being.
But the panel also worked out a set of proposals for what it calls "new social behavior" that should become new norms in regions where the spread of the virus appears to have been limited.
Japan's education ministry is set to release guidelines on how schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak could resume classes in stages.
Education minister Hagiuda Koichi said on Friday that local education boards across Japan will be informed of the guidelines the same day.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that federal guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus will not be extended beyond April.
Trump spoke to reporters on Wednesday, one day before the expiration of the guidelines, which recommend people avoid nonessential outings. He said that the guidelines will be "fading out because now the governors are doing it."
Japan has stepped up efforts to reduce person-to-person contact by 80 percent in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi on Thursday issued guidelines on what kind of steps governors can take to get business owners that continue to ignore government requests to suspend their operations.
Japan's minister in charge of anti-coronavirus measures says the government plans to announce as early as Thursday guidelines for prefectural governors to take tougher measures against businesses that defy the government's request to stay closed.
Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi spoke to reporters on Wednesday after he met with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko.
The Japanese government is expected to decide on a set of basic guidelines to fight the coronavirus as early as Saturday.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed a new government task force on Thursday to create such guidelines. The task force was established based on a new law that allows the prime minister to declare a state of emergency.
Students at public high schools in Tokyo will start a new school year next month. The metropolitan board of education says students in each grade will be allowed to attend school on alternate days as a preventive measure against the coronavirus.
The board released guidelines for preventing infections on Thursday. The officials also say schools should start classes later so that students can avoid commuting during the rush hour.
Japan's education ministry plans to draw up guidelines to provide educational opportunities for all foreign children living in Japan.
Last September, the ministry surveyed over 124,000 foreign children aged between 6 and 14 who are currently registered in local residence records.