A ruling party candidate won a seat in a lower house by-election in central Japan held under a state of emergency over the coronavirus, providing relief to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe whose response to the pandemic has been criticized. (Kyodo)

About 20 companies in Japan will start accepting "partnership certificates" in July for same-sex couples issued by a nongovernmental organization as a way of providing employees with spousal and familial benefits available to straight married couples, people familiar with the matter said Saturday. (Kyodo)

A month at home in isolation may seem like an eternity for those unaccustomed to a lack of person-to-person contact, but the experiences of Japan's large numbers of "hikikomori," or social recluses, may offer some hints on how to stay sane during the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

An additional 43 crew members on an Italian cruise ship docked for repairs in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, have tested positive for coronavirus, the Nagasaki prefectural government said Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 91. (Kyodo)

Japan's health ministry on Friday unveiled a list of more than 10,000 medical clinics accepting new patients for online diagnoses in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus among doctors and patients. (Kyodo)

Japan's health ministry stepped up its support measures Friday for prefectures to secure accommodations for patients with asymptomatic or mild cases of the novel coronavirus amid a growing number of infections nationwide. (Kyodo)

The Japan Racing Association said Thursday it will extend course closures through May 31 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, meaning the Japanese Derby and a number of other high-profile races will be run behind closed doors. (Kyodo)

Sharp Corp. said Thursday it will switch its online sale of face masks from a first-come, first-served basis to a lottery after a surge in access to its e-commerce website amid the new coronavirus crisis. (Kyodo)

Japan will extend its suspension of visas held by foreign nationals to the end of May, a government source said Tuesday, having deemed it too early to lift travel restrictions meant to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. (Kyodo)

A crew member aboard an Italian cruise ship currently undergoing repairs in southwestern Japan has tested positive for the new coronavirus, while about 20 others are believed to have developed a fever since last week, another member of the crew said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

People are still flocking to shopping arcades in Tokyo and other densely populated cities despite the Japanese government announcing a state of emergency nationwide over the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Kyodo)

As the coronavirus pandemic rages unabated, nations around the world have started looking at each other to understand how they might impede the virus' spread. (Kyodo)

Japan's Miyagi Prefecture said Friday a Japanese Black wagyu calf, conceived with freeze-dried semen, had been born in a breakthrough expected to lead the way to stably storing genetic resources of the premium beef. (Kyodo)

A more than 130-year-old lane in Osaka lined with cherry blossoms has been closed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, but Kyodo News, permitted by authorities to use a drone around the area, on Friday captured images and footage of the flowers that attract nearly 700,000 visitors a week every spring. (Kyodo)

The Japanese parliament enacted legislation Friday to boost protection of the genetic materials of wagyu beef cattle, such as fertilized eggs and semen, amid concern over illegal breeding efforts overseas on the back of the growing popularity of the premium beef. (Kyodo)

The Japanese government is considering whether to extend 100,000 yen ($933) each to all people regardless of income as part of efforts to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, officials said Wednesday. (Kyodo)

Prime Minister Abe has been accused by critics of prioritizing the economy and the Olympic Games over the well-being of the Japanese public. As his approval rating falls, the number of COVID-19 cases are increasing. (dw.com)

The Japanese government's cautious approach to broadening coronavirus testing has created a dilemma for people who suspect they have been exposed to the virus and are choosing to stay at a hotel at their own expense. (Kyodo)

By staying outdoors and away from others, surfers should be relatively free from coronavirus concerns while waiting for their waves, but mixed messages about safety are troubling the surfing community as much as the rest of us. (Kyodo)

Millions of people will be inconvenienced by the Tokyo metropolitan government's business shutdown campaign as the city battens down against increasing numbers of coronavirus infections, but some of the megalopolis's most marginalized residents will lose their homes. (Nikkei)

Japan will earmark 1 trillion yen ($9.2 billion) for a reserve fund to fight the new coronavirus pandemic, according to a draft of an emergency economic package being compiled by the government. (Kyodo)

A proof by Japanese mathematician Shinichi Mochizuki of an over 30-year-old problem in number theory has obtained validation, Kyoto University said Friday following controversy over his theory often labeled as too novel and complicated to understand. (Kyodo)

A record 4,321 individuals were involved in cannabis cases in Japan last year, up 743 from the previous year for the sixth consecutive year of increase, with abuse of the drug by young people showing a marked rise, police said Thursday. (Kyodo)

The death sentence for a Japanese man over the mass murder in 2016 of 19 mentally impaired people at a care home near Tokyo was finalized Tuesday as he withdrew his appeal the previous day. (Kyodo)

Japan's approach to social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic might seem to other nations around the world like it is very social, and not so distant. (Kyodo)