Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will declare a state of emergency as early as Tuesday, following a spike in infections across major cities.
That's according to the Yomiuri newspaper report, which said the new measures would likely come into force on Wednesday.
Cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo could come under the directive, which will allow governors to urge residents to stay at home and businesses to pull down the shutters.
But, unlike other parts of the world, lockdown violations will not be penalised, and the authorities will rely purely on peer pressure and respect for authority for its enforcement.
It comes a week after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike indicated that she would favour a state of emergency declaration so stronger social-distancing measures can be imposed.
So far, the number of infections crossed 3,600 in the country, with more than 1,000 reported in Tokyo.
Russia launched a barrage of drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Friday, killing at least four people and injuring 35 in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, regional officials said.
Myanmar's junta leader attended a regional summit in Bangkok on Friday, a week after a massive earthquake devastated parts of the impoverished war-torn country, killing more than 3,100, and spurring an appeal for help by the United Nations chief.
Hackers targeting Australia's major pension funds in a series of coordinated attacks have stolen savings from some members at the biggest fund and compromised more than 20,000 accounts in A$4.2 trillion (AED 10.3 trillion) retirement savings sector.
Dubai Police announced on Friday it arrested 222 beggars during Ramadan and Eid, after a campaign was launched under the slogan “An Aware Society, Free of Begging,” in partnership with other government entities.