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Over 120 people died outside hospitals in Japan after COVID-19 infections

Jan 07, 2021 (Japan Times) - A total of 122 people in Japan died at places other than medical institutions between March and December 2020 after contracting the novel coronavirus, police data showed Wednesday.

By prefecture, Tokyo had the largest number of such deaths at 36, followed by Osaka at 25 and Hyogo at 11, according to National Police Agency data.

By age group, there were 39 such deaths among those in their 70s, followed by 23 cases in their 60s, 22 in their 80s, 20 in their 50s, nine in their 90s, six in their 40s and two in their 30s. No such deaths were discovered among those in their 20s or younger. There was one case where the age of the person was unknown.

Of the total, 89 were male and 33 were female.

The monthly death toll stood at 10 or less from March until November, except in April, which saw 21 deaths. But it rose sharply to 56 in December.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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