Coronavirus outbreak updates: Jan. 19, 2021

As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19

• The Shizuoka prefectural government issued a virus emergency alert Tuesday, a day after three cases of infection with a new coronavirus variant were confirmed in the central Japan prefecture.
  
  
• A 49-year-old man has been arrested for refusing to vacate a toilet cubicle after he was disqualified from taking Japan's standardized university entrance exams for not covering his nose with a face mask, despite receiving multiple warnings, police said Tuesday.
  
  
• Japan's top government spokesman said Tuesday that the widespread distribution of coronavirus vaccines is not a prerequisite for going ahead with this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
  
  
• An independent panel commissioned by the World Health Organization criticized China and the U.N. health agency for delays in their initial response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a report it published Monday.

As of 11 p.m., Monday, Jan. 18

• Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Monday Taro Kono, Japan's administrative reform minister, will lead coronavirus vaccination efforts.
  
  
• Tokyo confirmed on Monday its latest daily tally of 1,204 new coronavirus cases, the metropolitan government said, as the capital enters the 11th day of its second state of emergency.
  
  
• The Imperial Household Agency said Monday it has canceled a public birthday event for Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace for the second year in a row to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
  
  
• The prefectural government of Fukushima launched a free multilingual coronavirus consultation service Monday for foreign residents, becoming the first prefecture in Japan to offer such a service via the Line messaging app, it said.
  
  
• A student taking Japan's standardized university entrance exams was disqualified Saturday for refusing to cover his or her nose with a facial mask in violation of rules set by the exam operator to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
  
  
• Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday pledged to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control in Japan "as soon as possible" and continue preparations to host the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer.
  
  
• Japan plans to collect data from people who become infected with the novel coronavirus even after they receive vaccinations to assess how vaccines may help prevent the spread of the virus, sources close to the matter said Sunday.