TOKYO -- As the climb in the global count of COVID-19 cases further dampens hopes for a return to normal life, it has underlined a huge challenge facing Japan, which is set to host the Summer Olympics in eight months' time, experts at an infectious disease conference hosted by Nikkei and the FT have said.
In Japan, the number of new infections on Thursday exceeded 1,000 for the first time since late August, as the virus has spread from Tokyo to other major cities such as Sapporo in the north and Osaka in the west. The increase came as the government of new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has promoted domestic travel in an effort to offset the loss of inbound tourism.
