News On Japan

Coronavirus: 2 cruise passengers die

Feb 21 (NHK) - Two passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship docked near Tokyo have died. They had been hospitalized after showing symptoms and tested positive for the new coronavirus last week.

This comes as passengers continue to disembark following a two week quarantine period.

Both of the patients who died were Japanese. One was an 87-year-old man who had bronchial asthma. The other was an 84-year-old woman. She didn't have any pre-existing conditions.

During a news conference, a health ministry official was asked whether keeping elderly passengers on the cruise ship increased their risk of getting infected.

Masami Sakoi said, " We believe we handled the situation appropriately .We transferred the two passengers to hospitals as soon as we learned they had a fever. That was before we even had their test results."

The death toll of people infected with the virus in Japan now stands at three.

Hundreds of passengers left the cruise ship on Thursday after testing negative for the virus.

A woman in her 60s said, "I'm still worried about getting infected so I will continue wearing a mask and using disinfectant."

A man in his 70s said, "I got information through email and from talking to my kids. But I didn't get any updates from the Japanese government."

More than 1,000 people now remain on board many of whom are crewmembers.

The ship is the largest hot spot for coronavirus infections outside China.

621 people have been confirmed to be infected. On Thursday, two government staffers in their 30s and 40s who were working on the ship tested positive.

Anyone who shared a cabin with an infected passenger will stay on the ship for further quarantine.

At the same time, some governments are flying their citizens home.

Planes sent by Italy and Canada are standing by at Tokyo's Haneda Airport to bring back Diamond Princess passengers. The UK and Taiwan plan to take similar steps.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The Tokaido Shinkansen resumed service at 7:00 p.m. on April 30th after a power outage forced a suspension of operations, but major delays continued to affect the timetable.

Shizuoka Governor Heita Suzuki announced on April 30th that the prefecture will implement its “Cool Biz” dress code throughout the year starting in May 2025. Previously limited to the warmer months from May through October, the initiative encourages relaxed attire for government workers, such as going without neckties, to create a more comfortable working environment.

Vietnam’s national pavilion finally opened on April 30th -- 17 days behind schedule -- after delays in exhibit preparations kept it closed during the April 13th launch of the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

The rules surrounding benefits for parents on childcare leave were tightened in April due to concerns over the practice known as 'aiming to miss nursery placement.'

The "phantom bridge," a Hokkaido heritage site in the Tokachi region known for appearing and disappearing with the seasons, has begun drawing visitors again in 2025 as its elusive form grows increasingly fragile.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Two men were stabbed early Wednesday morning in Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture, leaving one dead in what police believe was a dispute over a restaurant bill.

The Naha District Public Prosecutors Office has indicted a 27-year-old U.S. Marine on charges of non-consensual sexual intercourse and assault after he allegedly attacked a woman inside a toilet cubicle at a U.S. military base in Okinawa.

A small aircraft made an emergency landing in a lake in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture on April 29th, leaving one man seriously injured and another with minor injuries.

A growing number of cases have been reported in which individuals offering to transfer cats for free on social media platforms demand payments, leading to suspicions of fraud.

Japan's population has been shrinking for 15 years, with huge implications for the country’s economy, national defense, and culture. Now, policymakers are working to boost birth rates. (60 Minutes)

A 100-year-old man driving a passenger car fell approximately 10 meters into a riverbed in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, but survived without life-threatening injuries.

The memorial mass for Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88, was held in Tokyo, with Prince Akishino attending on behalf of the Emperor.

Japan's prison system is undergoing a major shift as it prepares to introduce "confinement punishment," moving away from traditional penal servitude that emphasized punishment toward a new focus on rehabilitation.