Society

Coronavirus case numbers trending upward in Japan

Mar 31 (NHK) - The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says 9,520 new cases of coronavirus infection were reported on Wednesday.

The case count is up by about 3,100 from a week before, marking the fourth straight day of week-on-week increase.

The seven-day average through Wednesday stands at 7,622.6. That's 121.1 percent of the figure for the previous seven-day period.

The number of seriously ill patients who are on ventilators or ECMO heart-lung machines in the capital stands at 32, down one from Tuesday.

Tokyo officials reported 11 deaths from the virus on Wednesday.

Meanwhile more than 53,000 new infections were reported nationwide on Wednesday. That is about 12,700 more than a week earlier.

Japan to Introduce Free High School Education Next Year

The Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Komeito have reached an agreement on the framework for Japan’s new free high school tuition program, which will begin in fiscal 2026. Under the plan, tuition support for private full-time high schools will be capped at 457,000 yen, while correspondence courses will have an upper limit of 337,000 yen.

Sense of Crisis in World Heritage Shirakawa Village: ‘Never a Year with So Many Bears Before’

Bear sightings have surged across Japan, and in Gifu Prefecture’s Shirakawa Village—home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go—local authorities held a nighttime drill on October 28th to prepare for possible emergencies.

Japan Mobility Show Opens, Toyota Unveils Century Coupe

The Japan Mobility Show opened on October 29th, marking the start of Japan’s premier automotive exhibition, where foreign manufacturers are stepping up their entry into the country’s growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

Takaiichi and Trump Emphasize Importance of Japan-U.S. Alliance

Prime Minister Takaiichi’s first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Trump drew high praise from officials at the Prime Minister’s Office, who described the atmosphere as friendly and open. According to government sources, the two leaders addressed each other by their first names, “Sanae” and “Donald,” a gesture that one senior official called “120 points,” underscoring the success of the meeting.

Woman Found Dead Near Rice Field in Akita, Bear Attack Suspected

An elderly woman was found dead in a roadside ditch in Akita City on October 27th, with police investigating the possibility that she was attacked by a bear. A local resident discovered the woman lying face down in a drainage channel around 11 a.m. and called emergency services.

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