Businesses across Japan are slowly reopening even before the government makes its final decision on lifting a nationwide state of emergency. (NHK)

Temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius were observed in wide areas in Japan on Monday. Hot weather is also forecast on Tuesday. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday started compensating small- and medium-sized businesses that had suspended operations through last week amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Japan Times)

Casual clothing chain Uniqlo has reopened its flagship store in Tokyo's Ginza district after a month-long shutdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

Amid requests for people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Japan, instances of tailgating or stones being thrown at cars with out-of-prefecture license plates have been growing in areas that have few confirmed cases of infection. (Japan Today)

A number of Japanese celebrities took to Twitter this weekend to criticize the government's attempt to extend the retirement age for prosecutors, with one warning the move could "destroy" the country. (Kyodo)

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)

Millions of Japanese viewers of the world's longest-running animated cartoon TV show will have to make do with re-runs from next week after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted production, Fuji Television Network said on Sunday. (Japan Times)

As the nation reels from a pandemic that has paralyzed everyday life for many, some prefectures that adopted blanket measures for the state of emergency are now accelerating efforts to wind them down. (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)

The Japanese government plans to make a coronavirus contact-tracing app available by the end of this month. (NHK)

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)

Japan's national debt has hit a new high for a fourth straight year. (NHK)

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)

Miyu is a 20 year old University student and it's been 2 years since we last say her on the show. (ONLY in JAPAN)

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)

The outbreak of the new coronavirus has sent the number of passengers on domestic and international flights plunging more than 95 percent from a year earlier during Japan's Golden Week holidays, Japanese airlines said Friday. (Kyodo)

All Nippon Airways Co. has eased its company dress code that mandated female cabin attendants and ground staff wear high heels, the company said Friday. (Kyodo)