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

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)

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)

When reports of a mysterious pneumonialike illness first cropped up in China at the end of last year, Yutaka Tokue, head of the infectious disease and prevention division at Japan's Gunma University, knew the disease would eventually arrive in his home country. (Nikkei)

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)

As governments introduce social distancing rules of varying strictness to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of how long these measures should remain in place will likely spark vigorous debate. (Japan Times)

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)

The Japanese government will support a drive to boost production of the flu drug Avigan as a treatment for the novel coronavirus, with the aim of increasing stockpiles to triple the current amount, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

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)

Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and the main governing Liberal Democratic Party have agreed to give roughly 2,800 dollars to households whose income has fallen to a certain level due to the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

The Japanese government plans to provide nations hit by the coronavirus pandemic with the anti-flu drug Avigan developed by a Japanese chemical firm. (NHK)

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

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)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has quickly become an online meme following his announcement Wednesday evening that the government will distribute two cloth masks to every household in the nation, a policy many slammed as out of touch with reality. (Japan Times)

The German government will purchase large amounts of the anti-influenza drug Avigan, developed by a unit of Fujifilm Holdings, to treat the new coronavirus, local media reported Thursday. (Nikkei)