2020 in Japan

Incumbents

• Emperor: Naruhito
• Prime Minister: Shinzo Abe
• Chief Cabinet Secretary: Yoshihide Suga
• Chief Justice of Japan: Naoto Ōtani
• Speaker of the House of Representatives: Tadamori Ōshima
• President of the House of Councillors: Akiko Santō

  Events

January

• 8 January: The two are the country's largest yakuza gang organization as 'terrorists', the Yamaguchi-gumi, and the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, which split from the former in August 2015, later it was banned in in central and western Japan.
• 11 January: A volcano erupts on Kuchinoerabu-jima in Kagoshima Prefecture; A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted Saturday, the JMA said, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
• 15 January: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported a confirmed case of novel-coronavirus. It marked the second exported case of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic and the first in Japan. The patient was discharged from the hospital and the Japanese government has scaled up a whole-of-government coordination mechanism.
• 17 January: The silver jubilee of the Great Hanshin earthquake, a memorial service was held in Kobe's Port Island.
• 22 January: Opposition parties lay into Abe over scandals and Mideast dispatch, A controversial taxpayer-funded LDP party, the scandal over the legalization of casinos and a possibly dangerous dispatch of a JMSDF unit to the Middle East amid high tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
• 28 January: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan reports first domestic transmission of coronavirus, one of the new cases was that of a bus driver who had driven two groups of Chinese tourists visiting Japan from Wuhan earlier this month.

  February

• 1 February: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Amid coronavirus fears, Tokyo Olympic organizers try to dampen cancellation rumors. Wuhan coronavirus can be transmitted between humans, posing tougher challenges for the Tokyo organizers to counteract the infectious disease and host a safe and secure games, during China travel ban, 3 years after the Executive Order 13769.
• 5 February: According to the NPA, 18-year-old woman dies after small landslide in Kanagawa, A teenager was killed Wednesday morning when she was struck by a small landslide while walking through a residential area in the city of Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, local police said.
• 6 February:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that the 2020 Summer Olympics would or would not be postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, then the lawmakers plans to declare 'war' against coronavirus.
• * Prior to the JAEPO 2020, Square Enix, CyberAgent and Koei Tecmo employees who called pro-British or pro-European concerns for role-playing video games with Embracer Group, Focus Home Interactive and Ubisoft. BNEI, Konami and Sega Sammy employees who called pro-American or pro-NATO concerns for rhythm games with Take-Two Interactive, Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard. Nintendo and SIE are the largest video game companies concerned neutral, according to IGN.
• 8 February: South Koreans least trusting of Japan among six nations surveyed, The proportion of people who trust Japan is lowest in South Korea among six countries covered by a Japanese think tank survey released on Saturday since the 2019–2020 Japan–South Korea trade dispute.
• 13 February:
• * Noriyuki Makihara was arrested for alleged illegal stimulant possession, as police found 0.083 gram of stimulant at his condominium in Tokyo's Minato Ward in April 2018.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan announced that a woman in her eighties outside of Tokyo has died in Kanagawa Prefecture. Two taxi drivers also were tested positive.
• 16 February: Shinzo Abe sees Cabinet approval rating log sharpest fall in two years, The approval rating for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet has fallen to 41.0%, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday, dropping 8.3 points from the previous poll in January and marking the sharpest fall in nearly two years amid ongoing political scandals, after the parliamentary votes.
• 20 February: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Minister of the Environment Shinjirō Koizumi says he regrets skipping COVID-19 meeting, on the coronavirus outbreak in favor of a new year party held by a group of his supporters in his hometown.
• 23 February: The Emperor's Birthday for the first time in the Reiwa era, but cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• 26 February: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for sports and cultural events to be stopped for two weeks. This comes after Japan confirmed its second local death, amid concerns the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could be cancelled. Hokkaido will close schools from February 27 to March 4, while Tokyo allowed schools to start some classes later.
• 27 February:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – On February 27, Shinzo Abe asked for schools to close across the country to slow the spread of the virus. The duration of the closure he asked schools to adopt were from March 2 until the end of spring vacations, which usually conclude in early April, later postponed to September.
• * IOC President Thomas Bach told Japanese media in a conference call that the IOC "is fully committed to a successful Olympic Games in Tokyo starting July 24, but next year on July 23, 2021." Due to a coronavirus outbreak.

  March

• 1 March:
• * The Tokyo Marathon, was held on March 1, will be restricted to elite runners and wheelchair athletes. Initially, it was expected that 38,000 people would take part but with this change the number will be reduced to 206 participants.
• * The JR Central was replaced Tōkaidō Shinkansen's 700 Series Shinkansen to a new N700 Series Shinkansen for the 2020 Summer Olympics and the Paralympics, since its opening during the 1964 Summer Olympics, originally on March 8 due to coronavirus pandemic.
• 3 March: The 2020 Summer Olympics cancellation, postponement not discussed by the IOC President Thomas Bach until March 24.
• 4 March: The 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay could be adjusted to prevent the spread of the virus.
• 5 March:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declares 'war' against coronavirus pandemic, like Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared 'war' against coronavirus pandemics. A day after he made a rare call in separate meetings with each opposition leader for cooperation across party lines, the ruling and opposition parties agreed Thursday to vote on temporary two-year legislation on March 12.
• * 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in Asia – The British DFID and the American USAID approved to declare a state of emergency and occupy 6 Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan against coronavirus from China.
• 8 March: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The government will also financially support parents who have been forced to take time off to look after their children due to Abe's abrupt decision to close all schools from last Monday to the start of the new school year in April.
• 12 March: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan's House of Representatives and the opposition parties passed a bill Thursday that would allow Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency to deal with the coronavirus outbreak in Japan if needed and supported by USAID.
• 13 March: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan enacted a time-limited legal change, enabling PM Shinzo Abe, if he deems it necessary, to declare a state of emergency to cope with the spread of the new coronavirus, after US President Donald Trump's telephone calls about the 2020 Summer Olympics and the Paralympics plans.
• 14 March: The 9th anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami was celebrated by the Reconstruction Agency, due to coronavirus pandemic.
• 15 March: The golden jubilee of the Expo '70, towards Expo 2025 in Osaka after the Expo 2020 will be held in October next year in Dubai.
• 18 March:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A masked protests against corruption and terrorism in ASEAN, Japan's Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō has claimed this year's Olympics in Tokyo are "cursed" amid speculation and suggestions the Games will be postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• * The Pacific Eagles are favored the USMCA agreement, NAFTA remained in force until USMCA was implemented.
• 20 March: The silver jubilee of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, a memorial service was held at Kasumigaseki Station.
• 24 March: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Paralympics has been postponed to 2021 due to the concerns on the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement referendum.
• 26 March: The IOC and the IPC will set dates for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and the Paralympics in about three weeks. For those reasons, a time frame from July to September 2021 has emerged as a strong candidate.
• 27 March: Five months after the 2019 Shurijo fire, the Japanese government on Friday decided to restore the gutted Shuri Castle in Okinawa by 2026 after embarking on full-fledged reconstruction in 2022, a new museum has been considered during reconstructions.
• 30 March:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Calls grew Monday for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency and a controversial year to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus before it is too late.
• * The 2020 Summer Olympics and the Paralympics will be held from July to September 2021, originally from July to September 2020 as the same time.

  April

• 3 April:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned to call and declare a state of emergency. Several medical, experts local politicians, and governors raised their voices, directly or indirectly.
• * Future Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba supported the successful corporate transition to Sega Sammy Holdings was reborn since 15 years and the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics and the Paralympics to 2021.
• 6 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will proclaim a state of emergency, initially aimed at cities like Tokyo and Osaka. He is expected to make the declaration on Tuesday, which will take effect on Wednesday. This is the first emergency declaration to be made in Japan, until May 6.
• 7 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proclaimed a one-month state of emergency in Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanto, Kansai, and Kyushu regions. He also said there will be no lockdown like in other countries, and that public transportation and other services needed to keep the economy and society going will be maintained as much as possible.
• 10 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Operation Howard began from postponement and cancellation of summer events and films through fall or winter 2020, during a state of emergency over coronavirus.
• 13 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – More than 80 percent of the public believe the government should compensate businesses that have complied with a request to suspend operations in response to a surge in coronavirus infections in Tokyo and other parts of Japan, during Operation Howard.
• 14 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government will submit a supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 from April to the Diet next week to finance an emergency package worth ¥108 trillion, part of which will fund the mask distribution.
• 16 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A month-long state of emergency began to include all 47 prefectures in Japan, to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading further and straining the health care system.
• 19 April: The Ceremony for Proclamation of Crown Prince Fumihito at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, later postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• 21 April: The International Olympic Committee said Monday that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed Japan to absorb its share of the additional costs for the postponed Tokyo Olympics that sparked controversy.
• 24 April: A month after a coronavirus-forced postponement, Japan remains far from staging a "safe and complete" Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, coronavirus fuel to Abe-Koike rivalry.
• 27 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura slammed for perceived priority for PCR Test and the government submits the budget for coronavirus extra packages.
• 29 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – New coronavirus recoveries rises over new cases since April 15, during the Golden Week as Stay Home Week to Save Lives.
• 30 April: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Thursday to extend state of emergency over coronavirus.

  May

• 1 May:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Smaller towns and villages began distributing the 100,000 yen stimulus payment to residents. Larger municipalities are expected to follow suit within the next two months.
• * The first anniversary of the 2019 Japanese imperial transition, Emperor Naruhito on Friday marked one year since he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne, with he and Empress Masako searching for their role in modern times while continuing his parents' efforts to heal the wounds of war and disasters.
• 4 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government has decided to extend the nationwide state of emergency established in April until the end of May.
• 6 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government confirmed 120 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the lowest level since April, as the total number of cases topped 16,000 and the death toll rose by 10 from the previous day to reach 579.
• 7 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Schools in the lightly affected prefectures of Aomori and Tottori were reopened after closing following the nationwide emergency declaration.
• 9 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan is set to approve on Wednesday test kits that can detect novel coronavirus antigens in 15 to 30 minutes as the country seeks to improve its testing regime.
• 10 May:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The government is considering lifting the state of emergency declaration in most Japanese prefectures this month over the coronavirus pandemic, when coronavirus recoveries rising.
• * 57.5% of respondents expressed discontent with the government response of the coronavirus pandemic, three major national Japanese newspapers to commemorate May-B Day since 36 years. MAY is a portmanteau of the Mainichi Shimbun, The Asahi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun, except Sankei Shimbun and The Nikkei.
• 11 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated some prefectures could be taken off the list of those placed under the state of emergency before its May 31 expiry. Speaking in parliament, he said Japan is on a "steady" path toward ending the coronavirus epidemic, like South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
• 13 May:
• *2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government approved on Wednesday test kits that can detect novel coronavirus antigens in 15 to 30 minutes, in the hope of improving its testing regime amid growing demand for a simpler and faster method.
• * Hamako Mori was internationally recognized and was awarded the Guinness World Record for being the oldest gaming YouTuber in the world at the age of 90.
• 14 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government officials and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared that they had decided to lift and suspend the national emergency, like the European countries were affected by COVID-19.
• 15 May:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan will test around 10,000 people for coronavirus antibodies starting from next month, as part of efforts to better understand the deadly infection, health minister Katsunobu Katō said Friday.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The metropolitan government set seven numerical targets, including seeing fewer than 20 new daily cases of COVID-19 on average in a week, and a decline in the proportion of unknown transmission routes to under 50 percent, Koike said at a press conference.
• 18 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – It was officially reported around the global market that Japan's economy officially enters recession with 'Much worse' expected from coronavirus for first time since 2015.
• 21 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The state of emergency is lifted in 3 prefectures in Kansai after they had cleared the threshold of having new infections below 0.5 per 100,000 people in the past week, resulting a total of 42 out of the 47 prefectures to be out of the state of emergency.
• 24 May: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Operation Howard ended, Japan plans to fully lift the state of emergency in the Greater Tokyo Area and Hokkaido on Monday, a minister said Sunday, given a decline in the number of new coronavirus cases and improved medical systems.
• 25 May:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan on Monday released a phased road map for reopening the economy as the government fully lifted the state of emergency the same day, with plans to relax by August restrictions imposed following the novel coronavirus outbreak since its three-month coronavirus recession.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced he's lifting the government's emergency declaration for the five prefectures where it is still in place, including the prefectures in Kanto and Greater Tokyo Area.
• 27 May: Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike will announce her candidacy around June 10 for this summer's gubernatorial election in the capital, to fix the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
• 28 May:
• * According to the NPA, three bodies with head wounds were discovered at a residence in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday night in what police suspect is a murder case involving handguns.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A 117.1 trillion yen relief package was approved by Abe and his cabinet. The purpose of the package is to provide financial relief for companies and individuals that have been struggling due to the impact of the virus.
• 31 May:
• * According to the JMA, An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 rattled Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido early Sunday, the weather agency said.
• * The approval rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet stands at 39.4 percent, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday, the lowest level in about two years amid dissatisfaction over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a string of money, favoritism scandals and a COVID-19 pandemic.

  June

• 1 June:
• * The Counter-terrorist Reforms Act was signed by The Pacific Eagles, Europol, and the NATO, a year after the Wave of Terror in Japan weren't a right-wing terrorist incident, like in Europe and MENA.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan on Monday further eased restrictions on social and economic activities in urban areas that were imposed to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, paving the way for children to return to school in the Tokyo metropolitan area for the first time in three months with some conditions, after lifting the state of emergency.
• 2 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Tokyo Imperial Palace reopened public after two-month closure under the national emergency.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike issued a warning Tuesday amid signs of a possible resurgence of coronavirus infections, as 34 cases were newly reported in the Japanese capital.
• 3 June: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Two Yomiuri Giants players have tested positive for the new coronavirus, casting a shadow over NPB's plan to start the 2020 season on June 19.
• 5 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – In a response to the George Floyd protests and the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, Japan's prefectural governors on Thursday came up with joint proposals for how to revive the country's economy while preventing a second wave of infections amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• * According to the NPA, a 23-year-old university student Hideaki Nozu, who was arrested at the scene in the city of Takarazuka, is believed to have deliberately shot dead his 47-year-old mother Mayumi, younger brother Hideyuki, 22, and 75-year-old grandmother Yoshimi, the police said. He also shot his aunt, who suffered serious injuries.
• 6 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japanese economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said that he would hold talks with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike on Sunday to discuss how to curb rising infections in Tokyo's nightlife districts, including Kabukicho.
• * The newly built Toranomon Hills Station in downtown Tokyo opened Saturday, becoming the first new station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line since its full launch in 1964. The station is located among a complex of high-rise buildings, including the 255-meter Toranomon Hills Mori Tower and a fictional 315-meter One GJSA Tower which opened in 2014, between Kasumigaseki and Kamiyacho stations on the line operated by Tokyo Metro Co.
• 9 June: According to the NPA, A teenager died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday morning in a house in Hachiōji, western Tokyo. Also, a 4-year-old girl named Mion Ezaki fell to her death from the 18th floor of a high-rise apartment late Monday in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture.
• 10 June: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a draft second extra budget for fiscal 2020, totaling 31.91 trillion yen, to provide additional funding to front-line medical workers and support people reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.
• 12 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Thursday lifted the "Tokyo alert" about a possible increase in the number of coronavirus infections in the capital, moving a step closer to a full resumption of economic and social activities in the capital.
• * Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said Friday she will run for re-election next month, seeking to continue to oversee the Japanese capital's response to the coronavirus and preparations for the Summer Olympics.
• * British production company Film4 Productions acquired future live-action film adaptations of Shogakukan's George the Revenger, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! towards centennial anniversary in 2022, similar to Hasbro-based films. Since Sega Sammy and Shueisha announced superhero live-action film adaptations for My Hero Academia, One-Punch Man, and Phantom Pete Forces by Legendary Entertainment, Sony Pictures and 20th Century Studios.
• 14 June: More than 1,000 people turned out at a rally in central Tokyo on Sunday to protest against racial discrimination following the death of a black man in police custody in the United States that has spurred George Floyd protests there and elsewhere.
• 15 June:
• * Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a national treasure in western Japan, fully reopened Monday after a three-month closure due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – On Monday added medical fields to the list of domestic industrial sectors subject to foreign investment restrictions to maintain domestic control over cutting-edge technologies including those related to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
• 16 June: Former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife, Anri Kawai, left the Liberal Democratic Party among allegations of buying votes to aid Anri Kawai's campaign for the House of Councilors. They were later arrested by public prosecutors on June 19, 2020 on charges for vote-buying and distributing around 25 million yen to 100 prefectural and city assembly members in Hiroshima.
• 17 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan received an estimated 1,700 foreign travelers in May, an all-time low for the second consecutive month, amid the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday. The number, down 99.9 percent from a year earlier and compared with 2,900 in April, is the lowest since 1964, when the government began compiling such statistics, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A clinical test of a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus developed by medical startup Anges Inc. will start June 30 in Japan, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said Wednesday, envisioning to put it into practice next year.
• 18 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan will advance talks to ease its entry ban on Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam, as it seeks to gradually step back from travel restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday ruled out the possibility of dissolving the lower house for a snap election as his focus is on containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, but said he will not hesitate to do so when the time is right.
• * The 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election campaign began, campaigning for the Tokyo gubernatorial election officially kicked off Thursday with incumbent Gov. Yuriko Koike facing a record 21 challengers, as they focus on the ongoing coronavirus crisis and the metropolitan government's response to it.
• * A suspected Chinese submarine was detected sailing around Amami Ōshima and the US is in talks with Japan to address its concerns over the US-made Aegis Ashore missile defense system, Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill said Thursday, after Tokyo suspended plans to deploy the defense technology earlier this week, according to Defense Minister Tarō Kōno.
• 19 June: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Fast Retailing began selling Friday its washable and fast-drying face masks at its Uniqlo stores in Japan amid concerns about the novel coronavirus, with shoppers forming long queues, since its opening in Ginza yesterday.
• 20 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan plans to complete its nationwide optical fiber networks by March 2022 to meet the urgent need for online education, medical and other services amid the coronavirus pandemic, government officials have said.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Six new ambassadors to Japan have not yet handed their credentials to Emperor Naruhito due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, leaving them as ambassadors-in-waiting according to diplomatic protocol. But the ambassadors of Tonga, Rwanda, East Timor, Mali, Tanzania and Azerbaijan have started diplomatic activities after submitting copies of their credentials to the Foreign Ministry.
• 22 June: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan's professional baseball and soccer leagues will allow spectators to attend games from July 10, Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Atsushi Saito and J-League Chairman Mitsuru Murai said Monday. The 2020 NPB season started behind closed doors on Friday after a nearly three-month delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The J-League first division is scheduled to resume its postponed season on July 4.
• 23 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government has pledged to fix within a week bugs that have caused its coronavirus contact-tracing smartphone app to be shut down, the health minister said Tuesday. The free app, which was launched Friday and downloaded around 3.71 million times as of Tuesday morning, erroneously accepts ID numbers not issued by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, Katsunobu Kato, the minister responsible for the system, said at a press conference.
• * Fugaku was declared the most powerful supercomputer in the world with a performance of 415.53 PFLOPS. It was co-developed by the RIKEN Research Institute and Fujitsu. Fugaku also ranked first place in computational methods performance for industrial use, artificial intelligence applications, and big data analytics.
• * The 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, the annual memorial service was held on a scaled-down basis amid the coronavirus pandemic and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was not invited. It also came amid the continued conflict between the Okinawa and central governments over the sizeable presence of the U.S. military in the island prefecture.
• * Tokyo Disneyland and Ueno Zoo reopened after 4-month closure due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• 24 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Two new ambassadors to Japan presented their credentials to Emperor Naruhito on Wednesday as ceremonies marking the arrival of foreign envoys to their post were held for the first time since the end of a three-month coronavirus pandemic suspension.
• * This year's ornamental square watermelon shipments began Wednesday from the western Japan city of Zentsuji, with the approximately 10,000 yen fruits ripe and ready for buyers across the country. Seven growers in the Kagawa Prefecture city plan to ship about 400 cubic watermelons, with sides about 18 centimeters in length, to wholesalers mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Osaka and its surrounding cities by mid-July.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Wednesday confirmed 55 new coronavirus infections in the capital, an official said, marking the highest number of daily cases since early May. The latest development has reignited concerns of a fresh wave of infections, with new cases gradually increasing since late May and staying around or above 30 in the past week. Tokyo has seen more cases whose routes of infection are untraceable.
• 25 June:
• * Japan has ditched plans to deploy an Aegis Ashore land-based missile interception system as a shield against high-tech projectiles such as those launched by North Korea, Defense Minister Taro Kono said Thursday.The decision followed Kono's abrupt announcement on June 15 that it had halted the process of deploying two U.S.-made batteries of the missile system, citing technical problems and increasing costs amid strong local opposition.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Medical startup Anges Inc. said Thursday it will soon start Japan's first clinical test on humans of a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus, after gaining formal approval from an Osaka City University Hospital committee. Anges said it will start recruiting participants for the clinical test to be held at the university hospital, aiming to earn the government's authorization to manufacture and sell the DNA vaccine by the spring to fall of next year.
• 26 June:
• * Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike's performance over the past four years will be tested when she seeks re-election in the capital's gubernatorial election on July 5, but it is a race she is widely expected to win thanks to her name recognition and knack for sloganeering.
• * The Oze National Park will be fully accessible for the hiking season from next week, but with rescue services limited by the coronavirus pandemic, the park's preservation body said Friday.
• 28 June:
• * Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike is leading comfortably in the Tokyo gubernatorial election to be held July 5 as her rivals struggle to gain wider support, a Kyodo News analysis showed Sunday. Koike leads with support from about 70 percent of those aligned with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and 90 percent of those with Komeito, the LDP's junior coalition partner. Kyodo made the analysis based on an opinion poll conducted on eligible voters in the capital from Friday through Sunday as well as its newsgathering activities.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 60 new coronavirus infections in the capital on Sunday, hitting the highest number of daily cases since the Japanese capital's state of emergency was lifted late last month.
• 30 June:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government's abrupt decision last week to scrap its advisory coronavirus panel drew flak from all sides of politics, but the hastiness of the decision may have given an insight into how keen the administration is to retake control of the narrative. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of Japan's virus response, said on Wednesday a new entity will be created to replace the panel which has made key proposals in the nation's battle to contain the spread of the virus, including avoiding the "three Cs" -- confined and crowded places and close contact with others.
• * Japan rejected on Monday a proposal from South Korea to set up a dispute-resolution panel at the World Trade Organization over Tokyo's tightening of export controls on semiconductor materials, officials involved in the process said. In a meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, Japan argued that its export controls on South Korea-bound exports of three key materials used to manufacture semiconductors and display panels are allowed under WTO rules due to fears of diversion for military purposes.
• * Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō said he thinks it preferable to hold a general election this fall rather than wait until next year when the current lower house term ends in a meeting with an executive of the Komeito party, a source with knowledge of the meeting said Tuesday. Aso met with Tetsuo Saito, secretary general of the junior coalition partner of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, on Monday, the source said, adding Saito did not express support for the idea.

  July

• 1 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan's top government spokesman, who has been wearing face masks during twice-a-day press briefings since the spread of the novel coronavirus three months ago, ditched them Wednesday despite Tokyo still struggling to contain infections.
• * According to JMA, Mt. Sakurajima in southwestern Japan may erupt on a large scale, given recent data analysis, a weather agency panel said Tuesday. The frequency of eruptions at Minamidake summit crater in Kagoshima Prefecture has been on the decrease while the volume of volcanic ashes remains unchanged, meaning the upcoming eruption could be bigger than usual, the panel on forecast of volcanic activities at the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
• * Japan's latest Shinkansen bullet train model offering improved performance and upgraded cabin features entered service on Wednesday, departing Tokyo for Osaka on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line and traveling on to Hakata in southwestern Japan. Railway fans flocked to JR Tokyo Station to witness the debut of the N700S series, the first fully remodeled Tokaido Shinkansen train in 13 years and described by its operator as the world's first high-speed train capable of functioning on a back-up battery system in the event of an emergency.
• 2 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday reported 107 coronavirus cases, the largest daily increase in two months, raising concerns about a resurgence of infections as the governor of the Japanese capital called for heightened vigilance. The daily count topped 100 for the first time since 154 cases were reported in the middle of a nationwide state of emergency on May 2. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike asked people not to visit nightlife districts hit by rising COVID-19 cases, especially among young people.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan plans to set up new coronavirus testing centers at three major airports in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as in central parts of the cities, as the country prepares to relax its travel restrictions, health minister Katsunobu Kato said Thursday.
• 3 July: The South Korean government has renegotiated Japanese government to create a Clockaz-style relations, since Japan rejected on Monday a proposal from South Korea to set up a dispute-resolution panel at the WTO over Tokyo's tightening of export controls on semiconductor materials, officials involved in the process said.
• 4 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Tokyo reported 131 new daily coronavirus infections on Saturday, bringing the total number of people infected with the virus to over 20,000 in Japan, according to a local government official.
• * 2020 Kyushu floods, at least fifteen dead in flooding in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, since the 2018 Japan floods.
• 5 July:
• * Local residents and bereaved family members of victims held gatherings Monday to mark the second anniversary of massive flooding and mudslides triggered by torrential rain in western Japan that claimed 296 lives. With the coronavirus pandemic continuing, the memorial services in Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures commemorating the worst rain disaster in decades were held with limited attendees and social distancing within the venues.
• * The 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election, will be held during coronavirus pandemic, Yuriko Koike is eligible for re-election. She was re-elected in a landslide, winning 59.7% of the vote, vowing to respond firmly to a second wave of the novel coronavirus and coordinate with the International Olympic Committee over the postponed Olympics and Paralympics now scheduled for 2021.
• 7 July: The death toll from torrential rain in southwestern Japan rose to 56 on Tuesday, as disaster-affected areas widened to the northern Kyushu region, with tens of thousands of defense troops and other rescue workers mobilized to search for those missing and help people evacuate. The Defense Ministry said it will double to 20,000 the number of JSDF members to be deployed in Kumamoto Prefecture and other areas hit hard by the downpour.
• 8 July:
• * According to the NPA, a 25-year-old officer belonging to a riot police squad of the Metropolitan Police Department died in an apparent suicide Wednesday after shooting himself on a street in central Tokyo, the police said. Toshiya Tamura was found unconscious and bleeding from his head in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward at around 3:30 a.m. by a passerby. He was taken to a hospital but died on Wednesday night, the police said.
• * Torrential rain lashed areas across southwestern and central Japan on Wednesday, prompting local governments to urge around 870,000 people to evacuate as a total of 59 rivers in nine prefectures have overflowed and 123 mudslides occurred in 18 prefectures. The rain, which has continued since last weekend, has destroyed, damaged or flooded more than 4,700 buildings in seven prefectures in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, and Gifu and Nagano prefectures in central Japan, according to a Kyodo News tally.
• 9 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The number of new coronavirus infections reported in Tokyo on Thursday hit a single-day record of 224, the metropolitan government said, with the sudden jump in cases stoking fears of a second wave. But the central government denied it would immediately declare a state of emergency again, after lifting the previous one in late May, underscoring that Japan's medical system is well prepared.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – About 20 vessels gathered in the Port of Tokyo on Thursday to turn their lights on all at once in a bid to create hope and wish for an end to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The water taxis, cruisers and traditional "yakata-bune" boats that took part in the event rely heavily on tourism and have been hit hard since the spread of the virus.
• 11 July:
• * Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday will visit Kumamoto, a southwestern prefecture hit hardest by torrential rain a week ago, as recovery efforts continued after more than 100 rivers in the region and elsewhere overflowed. Abe's first tour to see the devastation will include a meeting with Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo Kabashima and a visit to the Senjuen nursing home where 14 people died after the Kuma River flooded, the prime minister's office said Sunday.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A start-up company is offering a smartphone application to hospitals that allows coronavirus patients to communicate their needs to nurses without physical interaction, potentially helping ward off cluster outbreaks. Hospital patients usually use the nurse call button when they need something, but those admitted with COVID-19 are placed in isolation wards and physical contact with nurses, who must wear protective gear, is kept to a minimum to prevent the spread of the virus among staff.
• 12 July:
• * Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday will visit Kumamoto, a southwestern prefecture hit hardest by torrential rain a week ago, as recovery efforts continued after more than 100 rivers in the region and elsewhere overflowed. Abe's first tour to see the devastation will include a meeting with Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo Kabashima and a visit to the Senjuen nursing home where 14 people died after the Kuma River flooded, the prime minister's office said Sunday.
• * Film director Naomi Kawase, winner of several Cannes awards, and roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro were among 10 producers named on Monday for the World Exposition in 2025 as Japan began preparing for the event. Kawase will also double as a senior adviser to the event. The expo, to be held for the second time in the western Japan city after one in 1970, will have no general producer in overall charge but instead have 15 senior advisers.
• 13 July: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido said Monday it will begin selling hand sanitizers to the general public from early August, responding to popular demand for the product it started making available for medical institutions three months ago. Hand sanitizers for the general consumer will hit the shelves in cosmetics and drugstores in Tokyo first, before being distributed to other areas across Japan.
• 14 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government is considering issuing business suspension requests to host clubs and other nightlife establishments that have not taken sufficient measures to stem the coronavirus spread, a minister in charge of coronavirus response said Tuesday. The move indicated by Yasutoshi Nishimura comes amid a rising number of confirmed cases related to those establishments, particularly in major commercial and entertainment districts in Tokyo, fueling increasing concerns among the public of a resurgence of the pandemic.
• * A panel under the justice minister proposed Tuesday establishing criminal penalties for foreign nationals who do not comply with deportation orders as Japan seeks to curb long-term detention of foreigners at immigration facilities. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan is expected to consider drafting revisions to the immigration law based on the panel's proposals to Justice Minister Masako Mori to include imprisonment or fines for those resisting deportation.
• 16 July:
• * International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Wednesday that his organization does not want to stage an Olympic Games behind closed doors. His comments came after the executive board met to prepare for Friday's 136th IOC session, and heard status reports from the coordination commissions for the Tokyo Games. During an online press conference, Bach was asked whether a behind-closed-doors games was under consideration for the Tokyo Olympics, postponed from their start date of July 24, 2020 to July 23, 2021, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The government planned to subsidize accommodation and transport fees nationwide under the Go To Travel Campaign to help rejuvenate the virus-stricken economy by sparking tourism. But it has faced increasing calls for a review of the program, due to growing concern that the travel promotion campaign could add to a resurgence of virus infections in Japan.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – More than 600 new coronavirus infections were reported across Japan on Thursday, the highest in three months, as Tokyo alone marked a single-day record of 286 cases, adding to evidence the country is facing a resurgence of the virus after lifting a state of emergency in May.
• 18 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – More than 660 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported Saturday across Japan, the highest since April 11 and nearly half of which were confirmed in Tokyo, as a resurgence in infections has become more apparent also in other urban areas. The Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed 290 new cases of the virus causing the COVID-19 respiratory illness. It is the third straight day for Tokyo to see its daily new cases reaching nearly 300, after reporting a single-day record of 293 on Friday and 286 on Thursday.
• * During the first anniversary of the Kyoto Animation arson attack, around 100 bereaved family members and company officials on Saturday mourned the 36 victims of a deadly arson attack on the studio of an animation firm in western Japan, marking the first anniversary of the country's worst crime in decades. During the memorial service held at the site of the Kyoto Animation Co. studio, which has since been demolished, President Hideaki Hatta pledged to rebuild the company, saying, "Being one in heart with our friends, their family members and those who support us, we will go forward step by step, albeit slowly."
• * Plans to build twin towers each about 260 meters tall in the Shinjuku commercial district of Tokyo are being worked out as part of efforts to make the area more connected and accessible to commuters, sources familiar with the plan said Saturday. The new towers, which will rise above the nearby 243-meter-tall Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in the Shinjuku skyline, will be built under a public-private sector initiative to promote large-scale urban development in the area through the 2040s, the sources said.
• 19 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – Japan's prefectural governors on Sunday decided to ask the central government to consider excluding more areas from a travel campaign as necessary to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The governors said they hope the 1.35 trillion yen subsidy initiative aimed at sparking domestic trips will help revive their virus-hit economies.
• * Only 23.9 percent of people in Japan are in favor of holding next summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as scheduled, while more than half of the country's populace are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's response to the spread of the novel coronavirus, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday. As the world has been engulfed by the pandemic for months, 36.4 percent of respondents to the nationwide opinion poll think that the Summer Games should be postponed again, while 33.7 percent said they should be canceled.
• 20 July: Japan's death toll from the novel coronavirus topped 1,000 on Monday, with those in their 60s and above making up over 90 percent of the fatalities. The tally includes 13 deaths among infected passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama in February. The first death in Japan was recorded on Feb. 13. The country's death toll has been on a downward trend since hitting a peak in early May, but there is concern the trend will reverse with the current resurgence in infections.
• 21 July:
• * Tokyo Olympic organizing committee President Yoshiro Mori rejected on Tuesday the idea of holding the postponed games next summer behind closed doors, saying spectators are an essential part of sports. Mori said the IOC chief's comments were made "assuming the worst-case scenario." But the former prime minister acknowledged the organizers will have to look at such options should the spread of the virus not be contained.
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The government said Tuesday it will cover cancellation fees incurred by Tokyoites and those who planned to travel to the Japanese capital after excluding Tokyo at the last minute from a domestic tourism promotion campaign to help coronavirus pandemic-hit regions. The "Go To Travel" campaign kicking off Wednesday was plunged into disarray after the government said last week that trips to and from Tokyo will not be covered by the scheme because of a surge in infections in the capital.
• 23 July:
• * Fireworks lit up the skies across Japan on Friday to mark one year to go until the start of the postponed Tokyo Olympics and lift the country's mood amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Sendai. The fireworks were set off for a minute and a half from 8 p.m. Junior Chamber International Japan said it organized the event in the hope that the fireworks would be a signal for the rebirth of Japan, overcoming the stagnation caused by the virus.
• * Japan marked one year until the postponed Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, but questions remain about whether the games can go ahead after the host city recorded a single-day record of new cases of novel coronavirus infection. Japanese swimming star Rikako Ikee, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, held a lantern with the Olympic flame and delivered a speech calling on fellow athletes to unite during a difficult time.
• 25 July: The 2022 Commonwealth Games' two-year countdown will be held in Hiroshima and Birmingham as joint host cities, since the countdown clock was unveiled during the Commonwealth Day in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Centenary Square on 9 March, 870 days before the Games.
• 28 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – A bodyguard of Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, but Kono himself is negative, police and the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The bodyguard, who belongs to the Metropolitan Police Department, developed a fever earlier Tuesday and was confirmed positive in a polymerase chain reaction test, with infection routes unknown, the police said.
• * Construction of a theme park based on animation films by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki started Tuesday in central Japan, with the first attractions set to open in the fall of 2022. Being built by the Aichi prefectural government in collaboration with Studio Ghibli Inc., Ghibli Park will recreate settings and scenes of Miyazaki films including "My Neighbor Totoro," "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle."
• 30 July:
• * 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The number of fresh cases of novel coronavirus confirmed Wednesday in Japan topped 1,000 for the first time as a resurgence of infections has begun to expand beyond Tokyo. The record single-day tally of 1,260 as of midnight, based on information given by local authorities, came after prefectures other than Tokyo with huge urban populations, including Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka, reported their highest numbers of infections. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike allowed to close nightclubs, except cinemas.
• * Japan's economy expanded for 71 consecutive months through October 2018, a government panel concluded Thursday, meaning that the country fell two months short of a record-long post-war growth period as suggested by the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The panel of economists and experts for the Cabinet Office, which retrospectively determines the length of an economic boom, said the expansion began in December 2012, when Abe returned to power, and ended in October 2018, a time when exports were dampened by an escalating U.S.-China tariff war.
• 31 July: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan – The Japanese government said Friday it will lift a ban on reselling face masks and disinfectant as suppliers have ramped up production enough to resolve a nationwide shortage spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. Punishable with a prison sentence of up to one year or a 1 million yen fine, or both, the ban was imposed in a bid to deter scalpers. It is expected to be lifted in August, although the exact timing was not immediately clear.

  August

• 15 August: The 2020 Japanese Surrender Memorial Day to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the surrender of Japan.

  Scheduled events

• 24 September: The 2020 Tokyo Game Show will be held at Makuhari Messe, included the approval of MHDU's Chuni-Style Project, for the post-global coronavirus pandemic rules by the Japanese and US governments towards 2020 United States presidential election on November 3, and the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. But on May 8, the organizer of the Tokyo Game Show said Friday it will consider holding this year's event online due to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus.
• November: Tokorozawa Sakura Town will be opened, a new joint-venture between PKDN Holdings and the Tokorozawa city government as a cultural complex.

  Arts and entertainment

• 2020 in anime
• 2020 in Japanese music
• 2020 in Japanese television
• List of 2020 box office number-one films in Japan
• List of Japanese films of 2020

  Deaths

January

• January 1 – Katsura Shinnosuke, musician
• January 4 – Junko Hirotani, musician and singer
• January 11 – Kazuo Sakurada, professional wrestler
• January 15 – Kotaro Suzumura, economist
• January 17 – Morimichi Takagi, baseball player and manager
• January 19 – Shin Kyuk-ho, a.k.a. Takeo Shigemitsu, Japanese-Korean businessman
• January 20 – Joe Shishido, actor
• January 21 – Shuchi Kubouchi, chess player
• January 30 – Yoshinaga Fujita, novelist
• January 31 – Katsumasa Uchida, actor

  February

• February 11
• * Katsuya Nomura, baseball player and manager
• * Yasumasa Kanada, mathematician
• February 13
• * Yoshisada Sakaguchi, voice actor
• * Ai Kidosaki, TV personality and chef
• February 21 – Hisashi Katsuta, voice actor
• February 25 – Kazuhisa Hashimoto, video game developer
• February 27 – Seiji Kurata, photographer

  March

• March 8 – Yukimitsu Kano, judoka
• March 14 – Tamaki Nakanishi, voice actor
• March 17
• * Tadashi Kato, cyclist
• * Keiji Ogushi, athlete
• March 21
• * Mariko Miyagi, actress
• * Moriyuki Kato, politician
• * Hiroshi Masuoka, voice actor
• * Atsushi Ii, voice actor
• March 26 – Naomi Munakata, Japanese-Brazillian conductor
• March 29 – Ken Shimura, comedian
• March 31 – Kiyoshi Sasabe, film director

  April

• April 2 – Keizo Yamada, athlete
• April 3
• * Yūtokutaishi Akiyama, engraver and photographer
• * Yoichi Nishimaru, physician
• April 9 – Junzo Sekine, baseball player
• April 10 – Nobuhiko Obayashi, film director
• April 12 – Keiji Fujiwara, voice actor
• April 13 – Ryo Kawasaki, musician
• April 18 – Takuo Aoyagi, engineer
• April 21 – Shōmei Yokouchi, politician
• April 23
• * Akira Kume, actor
• * Kumiko Okae, actress
• * Namio Harukawa, fendom artist

  May

• May 13 – Shobushi Kanji, wrestler
• May 23 – Hana Kimura, wrestler and actress

  June

• June 5
• * Chizu Saeki, cosmetologist
• * Keiko Itō, poet
• June 11
• * Yūko Kagiwada, poet
• * Katsuhisa Hattori, composer
• June 16 – Yuji Adachi, musician

  July

• July 5 — Kōshū Itabashi, chess player
• July 18 — Haruma Miura, actor
• July 21
• * Kansai Yamamoto, fashion designer
• * Mieko Hirota, singer