TOKYO – U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE on Friday applied to Japan’s Health Ministry for the manufacturing and marketing approval of its novel coronavirus vaccine, Pfizer’s Japanese arm announced.

TOKYO – The estimated number of Filipino visitors to Japan in November fell by 97.4 from a year earlier to 1,700 due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

MANILA – Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. formally welcomed newly arrived Ambassador-Designate of Japan to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko during a courtesy call on Dec. 10 at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

MANILA/TOKYO – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday expressed gratitude to Japan for providing various forms of assistance to help the Philippine government’s COVID-19 response.