Japan Reports Over 260,000 COVID-19 Cases... Highest Record for Two Consecutive Days

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida received his fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose in Tokyo on the 12th.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Japan has exceeded 260,000 for the first time.

According to the local public broadcaster NHK's tally, as of 6:15 PM on the 19th, the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases across Japan was 261,029.

This is 5,521 more than the 255,508 new cases confirmed the previous day, marking the highest number for two consecutive days.

The number of newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths on this day was 292, the third highest ever recorded.

By region, the number of confirmed cases was highest in the capital Tokyo (27,676), followed by Osaka Prefecture (22,798), and Aichi Prefecture (17,716).

Meanwhile, the Japanese government is considering suspending the full identification of COVID-19 cases to reduce the burden on medical institutions.