Japan and South Korea set new daily Covid-19 records

People, wearing face masks walk across an intersection in Tokyo. Coronavirus rates in Japan have been on the rise (Hiro Komae/AP)

Japan’s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time as the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of the holiday season.

The 3,030 new cases, including 621 in Tokyo, took Japan’s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.