Japanese government coronavirus experts to ask for new measures to tackle increasing cases

FILE PHOTO: A medical worker wearing a protective suit conducts a simulation for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at newly-opened Narita International Airport PCR Center operated by Nippon Medical School Foundation, a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing facility aimed at outbound travelers who need proof that they do not have the virus before arriving at their destination, at Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, Japan November 2, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A Japanese government panel of coronavirus experts will seek new measures to tackle the coronavirus in Japan as infections in the country rise, Kyodo News reported.

While Japan's infection rate is still below that of regions such as the United States and Europe, Japan has seen an uptick in coronavirus cases over the past several days, causing concern among officials.

Infection rates have increased for around the past six weeks and Japan on Monday recorded 779 new cases nationwide, with its northern island of Hokkaido posting a one-day record high of 200 infections, according to public broadcaster NHK.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Alex Richardson)