One day after setting an old record for a single day of 415 deaths, Japan reported a record 420 new coronavirus deaths on Thursday, according to the Health Ministry.
The figures are greater than the daily fatalities, which hit 300 at the height of an earlier wave in August. According to experts, the cause of the most recent spike is unknown but may be related to fatalities from older individuals' chronic conditions getting worse.
According to the TV, the exercises are intended to "improve readiness in confronting external threats and any potential invasion."
Such exercises are regularly held in Iran to hone its defence capabilities and test out new weaponry.
Iran has been rocked by anti-government demonstrations since mid-September. The death of a woman who was being held by the nation's morality police set them off. The demonstrations quickly turned into demands for an end to the nation's more than 40 years of clerical rule.
Follow the latest news on Google News
