Japan's daily coronavirus cases top 1,200

Jul 30, 2020 | News On Japan

Jul 30, 2020 (NHK) - The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan on Wednesday topped 1,200. It's the highest daily total and the first time the symbolic 1,000 threshold has been crossed.

Officials in the western prefecture of Osaka reported 221 cases on Wednesday. It's the highest ever daily total there and the first time the figure has surpassed 200.

Osaka's governor says the situation could worsen.

Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "Considering the positive rate in virus tests is as high as 10 percent, I think the number of infections will increase further."

The central prefecture of Aichi reported 167 infections -- another daily record.

The southern prefecture of Okinawa registered a record figure for the third day in a row. The number is relatively low at 44 -- but it's more than double Tuesday's daily tally. Figures do not include cases linked to US military bases in the prefecture.

Tokyo continues to be the biggest hot spot with 250 cases on Wednesday. The daily figure has been above 200 eight of the past nine days.

Out of Japan's 47 prefectures, Iwate was the only one that had no confirmed infections. But that changed on Wednesday when it reported two cases.

In total, more than 34,000 cases have been confirmed across the country. More than 1,000 people have died.

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.