Nearly all prefectures began shutting schools Monday in a bid to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in Japan, four days after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe surprised many with a request for schools to be closed countrywide until early April. (Japan Today)

Rakuten Inc.’s mobile phone unit will charge less than half the fees its rivals do for high data usage, hoping to entice subscribers when it launches services next month as Japan’s fourth entrant to the market, sources close to the matter said Monday. (Japan Times)

The final group of people on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined at Yokohama Port, near Tokyo, disembarked on Sunday. (NHK)

A man in his 70s has died in Hokkaido, northern Japan, after being infected with the new coronavirus, the local government said Sunday, bringing the domestic death toll to 12. (Kyodo)

Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested a 30-year-old man who posed as a police officer during a robbery of a golf store in Saitama City last month, reports TV Asahi (Mar. 1). (tokyoreporter.com)

The coronavirus outbreak in Japan has led the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort to close the theme park from Saturday. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will remain shut until March 15. (NHK)

Airlines are turning to some of the world’s hardest-hitting disinfectants, capable of stopping everything from sexually transmitted diseases to the MRSA superbug, in the fight against the coronavirus. (Japan Times)

Four-day event completely scrubbed for 2020. (soranews24.com)

A man in his 80s who was infected with the new coronavirus died on Thursday in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido. Fifteen new cases of infection were reported there on the day. (NHK)

COVID-19 claims its first major business casualty in Japan. (soranews24.com)

Kanagawa Prefecture and government-backed research institute Riken said Thursday they have developed a testing method that can detect the new coronavirus in 30 minutes, far shorter than the six hours required with current tests. (Kyodo)

The Japanese government is stepping up its protective measures, with a proposed pause on large public gatherings. (NHK)

Suggestions by a senior International Olympics Committee member that the Tokyo Games could be canceled if the coronavirus outbreak is not contained by May drew a swift reaction from Japanese officials, while sponsoring companies are anxiously awaiting the fate of the world's biggest sporting event. (Nikkei)

More and more Japanese companies are responding to the virus by having their staff work from home. (NHK)

The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games has stressed it has not started discussions on whether to suspend or postpone the Games due to the ongoing new coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

All Nippon Airways Co. said Tuesday it will suspend all remaining flights from Kansai airport in Osaka to China next month due to a drop in demand following a coronavirus outbreak in the neighboring country. (Kyodo)

National and other public universities in Japan have begun staging their entrance exams, with precautions taken against the new coronavirus. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 22-year-old male university student over the alleged molestation of a woman in Higashiyamato City last month, reports TBS News (Feb. 25). (tokyoreporter.com)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested another suspect — bringing the total to 20 — for participation in the alleged robbery of more than 80 million yen from two employees of a precious metals dealer in Minato Ward last year, reports the Sankei Shimbun. (tokyoreporter.com)

The Yomiuri Giants said Tuesday their two preseason games against Central League rival Yakult Swallows on the weekend will be played behind closed doors at Tokyo Dome amid the spread of a new coronavirus. (Kyodo)

Twelve new cases of coronavirus infection were reported around Japan on Monday, bringing the total number of domestic infections, excluding people who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, to 159. (Japan Times)

Japan's government has drafted a basic policy on the coronavirus in a bid to stem the number of new cases. (NHK)

Continued uncertainty surrounding details of a new law on foreign investment is likely to dent appetite toward Japan, experts warned. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police last week arrested a 21-year-old man over the alleged fatal stabbing of his father at their residence in Setagaya Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Feb. 22). (tokyoreporter.com)

Emperor Naruhito, who turned 60 on Sunday, attended a series of celebratory events at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo the same day, together with his wife, Empress Masako. (Japan Times)