A 36-year-old political newcomer has become Japan's youngest-ever female mayor after winning the Tokushima mayoral election on Sunday, according to Japan's city mayors' association. (Japan Today)

Health officials confirmed 143 new coronavirus cases in Tokyo and 16 prefectures on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 4,000. (NHK)

Japanese language schools in the country are unable to welcome new overseas students as the government has invalidated visas issued in more than 170 nations due to the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

As Japan faces a fresh wave of coronavirus infections and the government prepares for a state of emergency, medical staff say a shortage of beds and a rise in cases linked to hospitals are pushing Tokyo's medical system to the brink of collapse. (Japan Today)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to request the closure of entertainment facilities if the prime minister declares a state of emergency based on a coronavirus-related law. (NHK)

A state of emergency is set to be declared in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures -- areas most heavily hit by the spread of the coronavirus. So how will life change for residents? (Japan Today)

Another 143 people in Tokyo were confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus on Sunday. (NHK)

Another police officer in central Tokyo has tested positive for the coronavirus, leading dozens of her colleagues to be put on leave. (NHK)

Japanese companies are moving to prevent sectors vital to modern society from shutting down if the government declares an emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. (Nikkei)

There are 4,555 homeless people currently living in Japan, according to the latest figures published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in April last year. Of those, 1,126 live in Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan’s COVID-19 outbreak. (Japan Times)

The governor of Tokyo has expressed alarm about the spread of the coronavirus as a daily record of 143 new cases was reported in the Japanese capital on Sunday. (NHK)

2020, was set to be one of the most difficult days in recent years to book a hotel in Tokyo. But with the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics postponed, the would-be opening day of the big event has seen a flurry of cancellations, leading to a steep drop in room prices. (Nikkei)

A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly trespassing on the grounds of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s private residence. (Japan Times)

Tokyo residents will be asked to refrain from leaving home but essential services will continue operating should Japan declare a state of emergency due to the novel coronavirus, Gov. Yuriko Koike said. (Japan Times)

Far fewer people were on the streets of shopping areas in Tokyo and other cities in Japan on Saturday, after authorities issued stay-at-home requests in the wake of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus. (Japan Today)

A cluster of 7 infections of the novel coronavirus has been traced to persons who were present at a hostess club in Gifu City last month, the city government has revealed, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Apr. 3). (tokyoreporter.com)

Winter is over, and in any normal year that would be cause for celebration. But in this COVID-19 spring, nothing is normal: Tokyo’s streets are empty, especially in the evening — and so are restaurants across the city. (Japan Times)

There has been much talk in Japan recently about the imminent danger posed by an “overshoot,” a word used with no Japanese translation, little context and an apparent disregard for the English language, baffling English and Japanese speakers alike. (Japan Times)

With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government stuck on the brink of declaring a state of emergency that might lead to a lockdown, Japan’s restaurant, bar and chain stores are taking matters into their own hands by voluntarily shuttering hundreds of stores to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Japan Times)

Double-income families raising children in Tokyo are under growing pressure to cope now that Japan's school closure request is expected to be extended due to the worsening coronavirus outbreak. (Nikkei)

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo issued a warning to American citizens Friday that said those with plans to return should do so now or risk being stuck here for an “indefinite period.” (Japan Times)

The gathering point for anime and game fans from around the globe looks eerily different these days. (soranews24.com)

The volume of internet data used in Japan jumped 40% in roughly a month, industry figures show, prompting concerns about overwhelming the network. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has outlined the steps the city's government would take if the prime minister declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to start moving coronavirus patients with mild or no symptoms out of hospitals and into hotel rooms as early as next week. It aims at vacating hospital beds for a possible surge of more serious cases. (NHK)