Coronavirus outbreak updates: March 1, 2021

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

As of 11 p.m., Monday, March 1

The Japanese government has requested China not to subject Japanese citizens entering the country to anal COVID-19 tests after receiving complaints of "psychological distress" from some of them, the top government spokesman said Monday.
The imperial garden party planned for this spring has been canceled again to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Imperial Household Agency said Monday, the second year the event has been called off because of the pandemic.
Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. said Monday it will withdraw from its arcade game business in North America due to numerous closures of amusement facilities in the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The third batch of Pfizer Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Japan on Monday as the country is preparing to expand its inoculation program for health care workers.
Japan's COVID-19 state of emergency was lifted in six prefectures outside the Tokyo region on Monday amid signs of an improvement in the infection situation, while concern about a possible resurgence of coronavirus cases persists.

As of 10 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 28

Japan will continue to suspend its subsidy program aimed at promoting domestic tourism after the government fully lifts the coronavirus state of emergency on March 7, officials said Sunday.
Japan is likely to see increased supply of coronavirus vaccines in April when the government starts administering shots to the elderly, Taro Kono, minister in charge of vaccinations, said Sunday.
China, India and Russia are stepping up efforts to expand their influence by providing coronavirus vaccines to developing and middle-income countries, while advanced countries scramble to secure doses of U.S.- and European-made vaccines for their own citizens.
The U.S. drug regulator on Saturday granted emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine, the third such vaccine it has approved and the first to offer protection with just one shot.
Attempts to defraud people of money over COVID-19 vaccinations have been recently reported in Japan, with scammers taking advantage of the public's fear of contracting the novel coronavirus and offering costly "priority reservations" even though jabs are free by law in the country.