Japan's Finance Ministry said on Thursday that the country posted a trade deficit of 2.1623 trillion yen, or about 15.5 billion dollars, last month.

The Japanese health ministry is calling on people to only buy coronavirus antigen test kits it has approved.

According to statistics on machinery orders, which show the outlook for corporate capital investment, the value of orders received by major machinery manufacturers from domestic companies between July and September this year, excluding ship and power orders, which fluctuate widely, was 2,743.8 billion yen, down 1.6% compared to the previous three months.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is scheduled to hold summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Thailand, after a Group of 20 summit wraps up on Wednesday.

Japan's health ministry says 11,196 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Japan's government has announced that it plans to reopen its ports to international cruise ships in line with the easing of border controls for inbound tourists.

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX Trading has filed for bankruptcy protection, with total liabilities of up to 50 billion dollars.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has decided to dismiss Justice Minister Hanashi Yasuhiro, who has been under fire for controversial remarks. Kishida conveyed his decision to senior officials of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Japan's top medical advisor says the country is now entering another wave of the coronavirus. Officials are preparing to respond to the latest surge.

The daily count of new coronavirus cases in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido has hit a new high of 9,545.

Japan's top government spokesperson has reiterated that no coronavirus-related restrictions on people's activities will be imposed in principle unless a new strain more powerful than the Omicron variant emerges.

Arrangements are underway for Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to hold separate talks with the leaders of the United States and South Korea on the sidelines of international meetings in Southeast Asia.