Society

Osaka overtakes Tokyo coronavirus death toll with 1,958 fatalities

May 17 (Japan Times) - Osaka Prefecture logged 620 new COVID-19 cases and 15 coronavirus-linked deaths on Sunday while Tokyo reported 542 cases a day after logging 772 infections.

The total in Osaka was lower than the 785 cases and 42 deaths it reported a day earlier, but still just above the 600-threshold. The daily tally in the prefecture fell below 600 on Friday, when it reported 576 cases, for the first time since early April.

In Tokyo, Sunday’s figure came after the it reported 1,032 cases a week ago and 879 on May 2.

In the capital, the seven-day average of new infections came to 806.4, compared to 798.4 a week before.

Among the new cases, people age 65 or older accounted for 61 infections. The number of COVID-19 patients in Tokyo considered to be seriously ill under the metropolitan government’s criteria came to 84, down one from Saturday.

Also Sunday, tougher measures in the fight against the coronavirus entered into effect in six prefectures nationwide, with three coming under an expanded state of emergency and another three under a quasi-emergency.

Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima joined Tokyo and five other prefectures already under the emergency, which is set to run through May 31, while a quasi-emergency currently covering seven prefectures was expanded to Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto until June 13.

Four Young Mechanics Die After Car Crashes at High Speed

A passenger car was captured speeding across the frame from left to right by a security camera just moments before a fatal crash in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, that claimed the lives of four vocational school students.

Fire Breaks Out on Yodobashi Camera Billboard in Front of JR Osaka Station

A fire broke out on the evening of April 25th on an electronic billboard attached to the Yodobashi Camera commercial complex in front of JR Osaka Station, prompting a large emergency response. No injuries were reported.

Toxic Chemicals Detected in Rivers and Groundwater Across Japan

Organic fluorine compounds known as PFAS—suspected to be harmful to human health—have been detected at concentrations exceeding the national provisional target in rivers and groundwater at 242 sites across 22 prefectures, according to a government survey.

Japan to Issue Bicycle Blue Tickets from April 2026

The Japanese government will begin issuing blue tickets for bicycle traffic violations in April 2026, with fines including 5,000 yen for ignoring stop signs and up to 12,000 yen for riding while using a smartphone.

Woman Arrested for Drunk Driving After Eating Alcohol-Filled Chocolate

A 26-year-old woman was arrested in the early hours of April 24th in Kasuya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. While admitting to the offense, she claimed, "I ate chocolate that contained alcohol."

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