MANILA – The Japanese government on Friday, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), disbursed 10 billion yen (roughly PHP4.59 billion) to the Philippines, the fourth and final tranche of the Post-Disaster Standby Loan Phase 2 (PDSL 2).

TOKYO – Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga extended Japan's fourth coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka and Okinawa until Sept. 12 and added seven prefectures to the list due to a surge in cases caused by the Delta variant.

TOKYO – The Delta variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the Japanese capital, accounting for an estimated 95 percent of new cases, according to a health ministry advisory board.

TOKYO – Japan on Tuesday topped 100 million novel coronavirus vaccine shots administered, according to data from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).