Japan may rethink reporting of Covid cases as subvariant hits hard

Tokyo considers measures to ease pressure on hospitals as country struggles to contain outbreak

Japan could soon overhaul its battle against coronavirus to relieve pressure on hospitals as it struggles to cope with its biggest outbreak since the start of the pandemic.

Japan has fared comparatively well during the pandemic, with about 32,000 deaths among a population of 126 million, but has recently reported more than 200,000 Covid-19 cases a day - more than any other country - as the BA.5 subvariant hits.