A woman stands in front of a mask-clad lion statue outside a department store in Tokyo's Ginza district on January 18, 2022, as Japan reported a record high of new Covid-19 infections fuelled by the Omicron variant. (Photo by Philip Fong/AFP Photo)

An otter reaches for a snack from a customer at an otter cafe in Tokyo. Asian small-clawed otters are increasingly popular as novelty pets, particularly in Japan. Now international trade in the species may be banned. (Photo by Noriko Hayashi/The New York Times)

Choo Gaeun of South Korea reacts during competition with Jin Jongoh of South Korea during the mixed 10m air pistol team qualification during Tokyo 2020 Olympics at Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021. (Photo by Ann Wang/Reuters)

Iryna Kindzerska of Azerdbaidjan reacts after defeating Shiyan Xu of China during the Women +78 kg Contest for Bronze Medal A contest at the Judo events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan, 30 July 2021. (Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA/EFE)

Canada Women's Eight throw coxwain Kristen Kit into the water after winning gold in the Women's Eight final at the Sea Forest Waterway during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on July 30, 2021. (Photo by Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

United States' Abby Dahlkemper, left, and Netherlands' Lieke Martens fall while fighting for the ball during a women's quarterfinal soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo)

Steven de Costa of France, top, and Kalvis Kalnins of Latvia react during the men's kumite -67kg elimination round for Karate at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, August 5, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Vincent Thian/AP Photo)

People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on a crossing in Tokyo Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Japan’s coronavirus state of emergency will continue through Sept. 12 rather than finishing at the end of this month as initially planned, the government decided Monday. (Photo by Koji Sasahara/AP Photo)