It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The Tokyo Games have once again been thrust into the limelight for the wrong reason after reports emerged of derogatory remarks made by Hiroshi Sasaki, the now-former creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies, toward actress and comedian Naomi Watanabe.On Wednesday, weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that Sasaki had suggested that Watanabe — who is slated to perform during the opening ceremony in...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The Tokyo Games have once again been thrust into the limelight for the wrong reason after reports emerged of derogatory remarks made by Hiroshi Sasaki, the now-former creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies, toward actress and comedian Naomi Watanabe.On Wednesday, weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that Sasaki had suggested that Watanabe — who is slated to perform during the opening ceremony in...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Top government officials and organizers insisted once again Friday that the Tokyo Games will open in July, despite media reports the global sporting event will soon be canceled or further postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reiterated that the delayed Tokyo Games would not be canceled or postponed, denying claims made in a report by The Times of London that the central...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Top government officials and organizers insisted once again Friday that the Tokyo Games will open in July, despite media reports the global sporting event will soon be canceled or further postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reiterated that the delayed Tokyo Games would not be canceled or postponed, denying claims made in a report by The Times of London that the central...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike raised the capital’s health care alert system to its highest level on Thursday, sounding the alarm just hours before the city reported a record-breaking 822 new cases of the novel coronavirus.The nationwide tally of new cases also hit a record, with media reports putting the figure at 3,211 as of late Thursday evening.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike raised the capital’s health care alert system to its highest level on Thursday, sounding the alarm just hours before the city reported a record-breaking 822 new cases of the novel coronavirus.The nationwide tally of new cases also hit a record, with media reports putting the figure at 3,211 as of late Thursday evening.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system. This is due to newswire licensing terms.Staying informed during times of uncertainty is crucial, which is why The Japan Times is providing free access to select stories about . Please consider subscribing today and support our efforts to deliver the news that matters.Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system. This is due to newswire licensing terms.Staying informed during times of uncertainty is crucial, which is why The Japan Times is providing free access to select stories about . Please consider subscribing today and support our efforts to deliver the news that matters.Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system. This is due to newswire licensing terms.Staying informed during times of uncertainty is crucial, which is why The Japan Times is providing free access to select stories about . Please consider subscribing today and support our efforts to deliver the news that matters.Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system. This is due to newswire licensing terms.Staying informed during times of uncertainty is crucial, which is why The Japan Times is providing free access to select stories about . Please consider subscribing today and support our efforts to deliver the news that matters.Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Japan set a daily record with more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases — including a new high of 493 in the capital — on Wednesday, following reports Tokyo was expected to raise its virus alert to the highest level Thursday amid an ongoing surge of infections.Prior to Wednesday, record nationwide tallies had been reported for three consecutive days through Saturday, with the figure hitting 1,737 on that day. While the...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Japan set a daily record with more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases — including a new high of 493 in the capital — on Wednesday, following reports Tokyo was expected to raise its virus alert to the highest level Thursday amid an ongoing surge of infections.Prior to Wednesday, record nationwide tallies had been reported for three consecutive days through Saturday, with the figure hitting 1,737 on that day. While the...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Hokkaido is in the midst of a sharp rise in new cases of COVID-19, with other prefectures starting to follow suit in what officials warn could be the beginning of an explosive nationwide surge in new infections.When the novel coronavirus emerged in Japan earlier this year, Hokkaido was the first region to see a surge in new cases. Having declared its own state of emergency in late February, weeks before the central...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Hokkaido is in the midst of a sharp rise in new cases of COVID-19, with other prefectures starting to follow suit in what officials warn could be the beginning of an explosive nationwide surge in new infections.When the novel coronavirus emerged in Japan earlier this year, Hokkaido was the first region to see a surge in new cases. Having declared its own state of emergency in late February, weeks before the central...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.With the issues that presaged the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics remaining unresolved, and the resulting questions largely unanswered, the possible scenarios for the global sporting event have been reduced to a binary.Experts and organizers say there are two choices: stay the course and hold the games to give the country’s battered economy a lifeline, or cancel them and avoid exposure to...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.With the issues that presaged the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics remaining unresolved, and the resulting questions largely unanswered, the possible scenarios for the global sporting event have been reduced to a binary.Experts and organizers say there are two choices: stay the course and hold the games to give the country’s battered economy a lifeline, or cancel them and avoid exposure to...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has started using a new system to gather, compile and report COVID-19 data that will allow test results to be sent in digitally rather than by fax.The Health Center Real-time Information-sharing System — or HER-SYS, as abbreviated by the health ministry, — will allow all 31 test centers in Tokyo from Monday to send test results to the metropolitan government with computers and...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has started using a new system to gather, compile and report COVID-19 data that will allow test results to be sent in digitally rather than by fax.The Health Center Real-time Information-sharing System — or HER-SYS, as abbreviated by the health ministry, — will allow all 31 test centers in Tokyo from Monday to send test results to the metropolitan government with computers and...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Coronavirus infections have increased tenfold nationwide in the month since restrictions on domestic travel were lifted, raising concern the mass movement of people is further spreading the virus.On June 19, the same day the government lifted its request for people to avoid cross-prefecture travel, Japan reported 58 COVID-19 infections, the majority in Tokyo.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.Coronavirus infections have increased tenfold nationwide in the month since restrictions on domestic travel were lifted, raising concern the mass movement of people is further spreading the virus.On June 19, the same day the government lifted its request for people to avoid cross-prefecture travel, Japan reported 58 COVID-19 infections, the majority in Tokyo.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or...WW…