When the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly broached the subject of renaming Ibaraki Airport as “Tokyo North Airport” last year, the debate touched a raw nerve for residents in the much-maligned prefecture. (Japan Times)

Japan's health authorities say the country saw 70 new cases of the coronavirus and nine deaths on Sunday. (NHK)

More than 90 percent of hospital beds secured for COVID-19 patients in Tokyo have already been occupied, the Japanese Health Ministry said on Sunday, underscoring the pressing need to curb the further spread of the new coronavirus. (Japan Today)

Japan's government says it may lift the nationwide state of emergency for the coronavirus outbreak before the planned end date of May 31. This would apply to some of the 13 prefectures now under special alert, as well as many other prefectures. (NHK)

Concerns about a spike in suicides are mounting as more people are thrown into economic hardship and uncertainty by the coronavirus pandemic while support groups cut back on their efforts as infections grow. (Japan Times)

Japanese health officials confirmed 114 new cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday, including 36 in Tokyo. (NHK)

The bodies of two sisters in their 6os have been found dead in their apartment in Tokyo, police said Saturday, adding that they appear to have died two to three months ago. (Japan Today)

Far more mildly ill or asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in Japan are opting to self-isolate at home than hole up in hotels, leaving accommodations catering to them with abysmal occupancy rates, recent figures show. (Japan Times)

In Japan, people are being advised to stay home this weekend after the government extended a nationwide state of emergency until the end of the month. (NHK)

A woman in her late 30s died and her 7-year-old daughter was injured in what police believe was a murder-suicide leap from an apartment building in Tokyo. (Japan Today)

As the novel coronavirus pandemic began to unfold in earnest in February, some overseas media used the word “obedient” to describe Japanese people in attempting to explain why the penetration of the virus across the nation had been relatively moderate. (tokyoreporter.com)

Walt Disney on Tuesday announced Shanghai Disneyland will reopen on May 11, becoming the first Disney theme park to do so. But the Tokyo resort is not expected to follow Shanghai's lead anytime soon. (Nikkei)

Sixteen of Japan's 47 prefectures will reopen public high schools before the end of May following weeks of shutdowns over the coronavirus outbreak, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Some experts in Japan fear that prolonged school closures due to the spread of the coronavirus are turning children stuck at home into internet and video game addicts, with a study showing that many are already spending more time glued to their smartphones and other devices. (Japan Times)

One of the world's largest game exhibitions has been canceled due to the coronavirus. Organizers say they will consider holding the Tokyo Game Show online. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 39 coronavirus infections on Friday, stretching the consecutive number of days below 100 to six. (Japan Times)

Health authorities in Japan reported 95 more coronavirus infections nationwide, including 23 cases in Tokyo, on Thursday. (NHK)

Japan's space agency says it has found that the asteroid Ryugu may have orbited between the Sun and Mercury in the distant past. That's different from its current orbit, which passes between Earth and Mars, but not between the Sun and Mercury. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a pair of bar hosts who are suspected in several purse-snatching incidents in Shinjuku Ward, reports TBS News (May 7). (tokyoreporter.com)

A total of nine pachinko parlors in Osaka and Tokyo have reopened despite the ongoing state of emergency in effect due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, reports TBS News (May 7). (tokyoreporter.com)

The number of passengers on shinkansen and limited express trains during this year's Golden Week holidays plunged 95 percent from a year earlier amid the coronavirus outbreak, data from six major railway companies showed Thursday. (Japan Today)

It’s now May 7th, the Japanese Golden Week holiday is over. How is Tokyo and Japan? With improving infection rates, what does that mean for the city? (ONLY in JAPAN * GO)

Japan's health ministry says about 2,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus have been isolating at home. (NHK)

Customers must also undergo four-stage disinfecting process before being seated. (soranews24.com)

Japan is scrambling to house an often overlooked group of homeless people who slept in internet cafes now shut due to coronavirus lockdowns, with a petition to open the Olympic Village in Tokyo to them garnering support. (Japan Today)