Live updates: the Covid-19 coronavirus situation in Tokyo and Japan right now

Meanwhile, PM Abe says no state of emergency will be declared, despite Japan’s increasing coronavirus cases

The remark comes after Tokyo declared a record-breaking 463 confirmed cases on Friday

Some foreign residents will no longer need to show ‘exceptional circumstances’ to re-enter the country

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will ask restaurants and nightlife venues to close at 10pm, starting from August 3

The proposed amount even exceeds the Japanese government's coronavirus stimulus handout of ¥100,000

Those who have visited Kenya, Paraguay and 15 other regions in the last 14 days will be denied entry into Japan

Everyone, especially the elderly and those at higher risk, are urged to stick to essential outings only this July 23-26 weekend

Tokyo residents, as well as trips to and from Tokyo, are not eligible for the 50 percent discount on domestic travel

It's not a new state of emergency, but it's the first time Tokyo has reached level four on its new virus alert scale

The possible loosening of international travel restrictions will call for more coronavirus testing

There is a possibility foreign residents stuck abroad could have a chance to return to Japan soon

The subsidy will be distributed as early as August to aid people who cannot work while receiving treatment

Japan will start negotiations to lift travel restrictions for China, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and more

To limit cluster infections, nightlife venues in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro are being offered ¥500,000 to close temporarily

The government plans to proceed as scheduled, allowing a maximum of 5,000 guests for indoor events from July 10

Coronavirus cases are rising in Tokyo, but the government is not planning to declare a second state of emergency

The centres at Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports, plus in central Tokyo and Osaka, plan to offer PCR tests for travellers

The new standards do not specify a threshold number of new cases that would trigger a possible return to restrictions

From July 1, Cuba, Costa Rica, Iraq and more will be among the 129 nations and regions affected by Japan’s entry ban

The Cocoa app notifies users if they’ve been in close contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus

Even venues in small, enclosed spaces can now reopen, but patrons should still practice safety precautions

People are no longer discouraged from travelling across prefectures for non-essential purposes

Visitors from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam will have to submit negative PCR tests plus an itinerary

The government has added more 'exceptional circumstances', including medical emergencies and giving witness testimony

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike knows our concerns and is releasing weekly updates in English at 7.15pm on Thursdays. Watch it on YouTube.

Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam may potentially be included in Japan’s first travel bubble come summer

Reports say the government is considering canceling the alert and moving to stage three of reopening by the weekend

The government confirms that foreign residents who left for funerals or medical care will be allowed re-entry into Japan

Tokyoites are urged to be cautious after new coronavirus infections hit 34 on Tuesday June 2

Australia, China, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, the USA and Vietnam are rumoured to be on the shortlist

Gyms and movie theatres will be able to reopen with increased safety and social distancing measures

Japan will restart the economy with sports, concerts and eventually domestic and international travel

Japan’s capital is reopening its museums and libraries, and restaurants can now serve until 10pm

Border restrictions will likely be in place until the end of June to limit the spread of coronavirus

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines are increasing safety measures to avoid the spread of coronavirus

Declining number of coronavirus cases means Hokkaido and Greater Tokyo can reopen

When the state of emergency expires, Tokyo plans to allow 50-person events and restaurants to open till later

Kansai can reopen, but Hokkaido and the Greater Tokyo region are still on alert due to coronavirus

If coronavirus cases keep decreasing, museums and libraries will be first to reopen, followed by restaurants

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most of Japan is planning to reopen, except Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto

To fight coronavirus, wear masks, keep social distancing, eat meals separately and don't talk on trains

The nationwide state of emergency over coronavirus has been extended to May 31, with plans for revised measures

The contact-tracing app will alert a user if they have been in close proximity of someone diagnosed with Covid-19

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is still deciding if the state of emergency will be extended by another month, in the meantime, the government has released a general timeline for the critical next week.

The spread of Covid-19 coronavirus has caused Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency for the whole country. 

Following Shinzo Abe’s declaration of a nationwide state of emergency on April 16, the government confirmed it will be handing out a coronavirus stimulus of ¥100,000 per individual. 

The state of emergency has been expanded nationwide in a bid to limit travel across prefectures and curb the spread of the virus. 

Due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe announced at the beginning of April that each household will receive two reusable face masks made from cloth, to help offset a serious shortage in disposable paper masks.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike held a press conference to clarify the types of businesses in the prefecture that are asked to close until the end of Golden Week.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures on April 7. The state of emergency will stay in place until the end of Golden Week on May 6, but it's yet to be seen exactly how the declaration will affect the daily lives of Tokyoites for the next month. Here is what will change and what will stay the same in the coming weeks in Tokyo. 

After much deliberation, the Japanese government has finally declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures following a spike in new Covid-19 coronavirus cases. 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced he is planning to declare a national state of emergency as early as April 7, but what would that mean for Japan? 

Japan Post will temporarily stop sending mail to 153 countries. However, Japan Post will still receive and deliver any mail sent from those countries to Japan. 

On April 1, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government will be sending out two washable, reusable cloth face masks per household, in a bid to reduce demand for disposable paper masks. 

As the number of new Covid-19 coronavirus cases in Tokyo continues to climb, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on April 1 that it will be extending the closure of public buildings and the cancellation of city-run events until May 6. 

Japan will ban entry from 73 nations and regions starting Friday April 3. 

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike held a press conference yesterday (March 30) urging Tokyo citizens to continue to stay home as much as possible. Koike advised people to abstain from all nightlife activities including going out to bars, clubs, karaoke joints and live music venues, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  

The cherry blossoms may be in peak bloom, but officials have decided to close the following Tokyo parks from Saturday March 28 until Sunday April 12: Rikugien, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and Kinuta Park. 

Shibuya 109, Magnet, and certain locations of Lumine, Takshimaya and Parco will be closed the weekend of March 28.

Governor Yuriko Koike held a press conference at 8pm on March 25 to formally ask Tokyo citizens to refrain from all non-urgent outings this Saturday and Sunday (March 28 and 29). The request is a preventative measure to fight the coronavirus outbreak which has put a number of cities around the globe on lockdown. 

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, which are originally set to begin in July this year, will now be postponed due to the escalating Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. 

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike insists people practice self-restraint and cooperate to avoid spreading the virus. As The Japan Times reported: ‘“It is possible that depending on developments, we may need to take strong measures such as a so-called lockdown of the city,” Koike told a news conference. “We must, in any case, avoid that. Therefore, I want to ask all of the people of Tokyo for your further cooperation.”’

Starting from this Saturday March 21 until the end of April 2020, all travellers coming from Egypt, Iran and all of Europe, including the United Kingdom, are asked to self quarantine for 14 days. They are also being asked to refrain from taking public transportation.

Even though the original plan was to temporarily close popular venues until March 15 to avoid the spread of the virus, most have decided to extend the closure. Big name attractions including Tokyo Disney Resort (until beginning of April), teamLab Borderless (until further notice) and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka (until March 29) are all staying closed for now.

Major department stores have adjusted their opening days and hours to slow the spread of the virus and reduce the risk to their employees.

Two cherry blossom festivals, one along the Nakameguro River and the other in Ueno Park, have been cancelled to lower the chance of the virus spreading. However, Covid-19 coronavirus can’t cancel the flowers altogether. Here are the best places to view sakura and have your own hanami picnic in Tokyo

In early March, Tokyoites began panic-purchasing toilet paper. Shelves were cleared out in drugstores and supermarkets because of false rumours claiming that the rolls were made in China or that toilet paper was being diverted to make face masks. The rumours have been debunked, but people are still hoarding.

Don't panic – here's what you need to know about the global outbreak if you're visiting Tokyo

Some venues may be closed for now to curb the spread of Covid-19, but Tokyo's not on lockdown – there's still lots to do

Take note of these temporary closures: museums, art galleries, theme parks and tourist attractions