The Japanese government is moving to ease entry restrictions for Taiwan and some countries in Southeast Asia where coronavirus infections are largely contained.
The government is considering starting talks with Taiwan and countries including Singapore and Brunei as early as July, aiming to allow businesspeople to travel between Japan and them.
More people in Japan crossed prefectural borders on the first weekend since the government eased restrictions on such travel.
Cell phone data show the number of people who went from Tokyo to other prefectures on Saturday and Sunday rose 11 percent from the previous week. Travel to Tokyo from other prefectures grew by 14 percent.
The Japanese government has decided to ease entry restrictions from countries and territories where coronavirus infections are deemed to be under control.
The government coronavirus task force met on Thursday and decided on easing its policy, starting with business people under certain conditions.
Japan and Vietnam are in the final stage of negotiations to ease coronavirus entry restrictions and resume visits of each other's citizens on a limited basis.
Japan will first allow visits by businesspeople and technical trainees. It is targeting a resumption of travel as early as late June.
An amusement park in Tokyo's waterfront area has opened its doors for the first time in about three months. That comes after the Tokyo Metropolitan Government lifted the capital's coronavirus alert and eased restrictions on businesses.
Tokyo Joypolis, an indoor amusement park in the Daiba district, reopened on Saturday after taking steps to prevent infections. It had been closed since early March due to the coronavirus.
The Tokyo metropolitan government is moving to lift its coronavirus alert and further ease restrictions on business operations.
Tokyo officials say 22 new infections were confirmed in the Japanese capital on Thursday. Infection routes have yet to be traced for 10 of them.
The Japanese government plans to decide on Thursday whether to lift a state of emergency ahead of schedule in parts of the country.
Restrictions may be eased in more than 30 prefectures where coronavirus infections have declined.
The number of coronavirus cases reported in Japan in one day has fallen below 100 for the first time since the state of emergency was declared on April 7.
The government says it may lift the measure in some prefectures around May 14.
Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi says experts want social restrictions to stay in place to prevent a new surge in coronavirus infections. Nishimura is the minister in charge of the government's response to the pandemic.
Nishimura spoke to reporters on Friday after a meeting of a panel of experts to assess the state of the outbreak.
Japan further tightened its border entry restrictions on Friday in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The government is calling on all arrivals from any part of the world to self-quarantine at home, hotels or elsewhere for two weeks. Travelers are asked to avoid using public transportation to get to those places. The measures will be in place through the end of this month.
Japan plans to expand its quarantine measures on Saturday to include people entering the country from most of Europe, Iran and Egypt.
The government said on Wednesday it will start asking both foreign and Japanese nationals from 38 countries to isolate themselves for two weeks in designated places such as homes and hotels.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he will listen to the views of an expert panel before deciding whether to end the temporary closure of schools nationwide and lift a request to avoid holding large-scale events.
Both measures have been taken due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
A flight from South Korea has arrived in Japan hours after the country tightened its border controls to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Starting on Monday, Japan's government is asking people arriving from China and South Korea, including Japanese nationals, to self-isolate at home or other private accommodation for two weeks.
The Japanese government is asking travelers from China and South Korea to self-quarantine for two weeks starting from Monday in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
It will apply to everyone entering from the two countries, including Japanese nationals, until the end of March.