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Japan records 503 coronavirus infections on Wednesday; biggest daily jump since start of pandemic
Japan recorded 503 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, its biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic, as a state of emergency took effect but commuters still crowded some trains into Tokyo despite government calls to stay at home. The jump in new COVID-19 cases, including 144 in Tokyo… Read
Abe to declare state of emergency for Tokyo, 6 prefectures
Japan is to impose a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures from Wednesday to try to stop the coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday night. The state of emergency, which will be officially declared on Tuesday, applies to Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka… Read
Trump threatens to freeze U.S. funding for WHO, saying they 'missed the call' on coronavirus
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to freeze U.S. funding for the World Health Organization, saying the international group had “missed the call” on the coronavirus pandemic. Trump also played down the release of January memos from a senior adviser that represented an early warning of a possible coronavirus… Read
Trains run as usual, some retailers shorten hours during state of emergency
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared on Tuesday night a state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus after an alarming growth in cases in urban areas. The declaration, effective through May 6, will enable prefectural governors to take stronger preventive… Read
Abe declares state of emergency until May 6 for Tokyo, 6 prefectures
Japan on Tuesday declared a month-long state of emergency until May 6 over a spike in coronavirus cases, ramping up efforts to contain infections but stopping short of the strict lockdowns seen in other parts of the world. The government has come under mounting pressure to tackle an outbreak that… Read
WHO head defends handling of coronavirus pandemic against Trump criticism
The head of the World Health Organization gave a strident defense of his agency's handling of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism and suggestions that Washington could review its funding for the agency. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for unity and… Read
Aichi Prefecture to declare its own state of emergency
The governor of Aichi Prefecture, which includes the city of Nagoya and also hosts Toyota Motor Corp, on Thursday said he would declare a state of emergency for his prefecture, starting Friday. Hideaki Omura made the announcement two days after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally imposed a state of emergency… Read
Abe cautious about declaring emergency despite spike in virus cases
When it comes to declaring a state of emergency in Japan, having the authority to do so is one thing, but using it is another. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is making that clear as he hesitates to take the step despite alarm at the rapid increases in coronavirus infections in… Read
U.S. wasted months before preparing for virus pandemic, reports show
As the first alarms sounded in early January that an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China might ignite a global pandemic, the Trump administration squandered nearly two months that could have been used to bolster the federal stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment. A review of federal… Read
Tokyo confirms 143 new coronavirus infections Sunday
Tokyo confirmed 143 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, marking the highest rate of increase on record, metropolitan government officials said. This brought the total number of pneumonia-causing virus infections confirmed in the Japanese capital to 1,034, a development that could step up calls for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare… Read
