Coronavirus outbreak updates: Jan. 18, 2021

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.

As of 10 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 17

• More than 5,700 new coronavirus cases were confirmed across Japan on Sunday, with the number of hospitalized patients with serious symptoms topping 970 to hit a record high, authorities said.
  
  
• The Japanese government said Sunday it remains committed to holding the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer, reacting to an international media storm sparked by comments from one of its senior ministers.
  
  
• The British government said Saturday it will host a summit of leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized nations from June 11 to 13 in Cornwall, in the southwest of the country.