Coronavirus outbreak updates: Jan. 27, 2021

Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:

A plenary session of the House of Representatives is held in Tokyo on Jan. 26, 2021. The lower house approved the same day a third supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 totaling 19.18 trillion yen ($185 billion) to fund additional government measures to counter the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 27

Cinema admissions and box-office revenue in Japan took a historic dive in 2020, due to delays in major releases and people staying home because of the coronavirus outbreak, a film industry body said Wednesday.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday he expects to decide whether to extend the state of emergency covering Tokyo and other parts of Japan struggling to stem the spread of the coronavirus several days before it is set to end on Feb. 7.
Nepal launched on Wednesday a vaccination drive against the new coronavirus that has killed slightly over 2,000 people so far in the Himalayan nation.
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said Tuesday that the holding of the Tokyo Olympics this summer will depend on the progress of vaccinations in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologized Wednesday in parliament after executives of the ruling coalition were reported to have visited hostess bars in Tokyo's posh Ginza district, defying a state of emergency that urges people to avoid unnecessary outings.
A traditional doll maker that unveils new figures featuring prominent newsmakers each year has chosen the governors of Tokyo and Osaka, two cities with high numbers of novel coronavirus cases, this time as a gesture of hope for an end to the pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday recommended athletes and officials receive coronavirus vaccinations before traveling for the postponed Tokyo Games, emphasizing the need to protect the health and safety of people in Japan.
The final artistic swimming qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for the Japanese capital in March, will be postponed in light of travel restrictions under the current state of emergency aimed at combating the coronavirus, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world has surpassed 100 million, with an accelerated pace of infection, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed Tuesday.

As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 26

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday admitted Japan's medical system has been ill-prepared to deal with the surge in COVID-19 patients, acknowledging that more lives may have been saved had proper treatment been available.
Japan plans to secure about 20,000 freezers for hospital storage of coronavirus vaccines, as the country steps up preparations for their delivery, government officials said Tuesday.
Shipments of laptop computers in Japan surged 25.1 percent in 2020 to hit a record high due to increased teleworking amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and the government's policy to supply computers to each elementary and junior high school student, an industry body said Tuesday.
All Nippon Airways Co. said Tuesday it will suspend services on 16 international flight routes from late March due to falling travel demand amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan's House of Representatives is set to approve Tuesday a third supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 totaling 19.18 trillion yen ($185 billion) to fund additional government measures to counter the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Corporate executives and labor unions on Tuesday effectively began this year's spring wage negotiations amid expectations that the pace of pay increases will slow due to the coronavirus pandemic.