TOKYO – Highlights of Japan-related events for March 1-7:

March 1 (Mon)

— Japan Automobile Dealers Association to release new motor vehicle sales for February.

— Bank of Japan to start new system to assist regional banks, other lenders over realignment plans.

The central bank will apply additional interest rate on current accounts held at the BOJ by the commercial lenders that work on cost reduction and business integration.

March 2 (Tues)

— Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to release unemployment rate for January.

Economists expect the jobless rate to slightly deteriorate from December’s 2.9 percent amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused an increasing number of companies to go bankrupt.

— Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to release ratio of job offers to job seekers for January.

March 3 (Wed)

— No major events.

March 4 (Thurs)

— Cabinet Office to release survey on consumer trends for February.

— Japan Automobile Dealers Association to release new motor vehicle sales data by brand for February.

— Official campaigning to start for Chiba gubernatorial election.

— Tokyo High Court to hand down ruling on appeal by man found guilty of physical abuse that led to death of his daughter in Chiba Prefecture in 2019.

Yuichiro Kurihara has appealed a lower court ruling that sentenced him to 16 years in prison for causing the death of his daughter Mia in January 2019 after depriving her of sleep and food at their home. Kurihara has denied most of the allegations.

March 5 (Fri)

— Toyama District Court to hand down ruling on former Ground Self-Defense Force member who was charged in 2018 of murder-robbery after killing a police officer and taking his handgun, then shooting dead a security guard with it.

The mental competency of Keita Shimazu is the major focus. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty after judging him to be criminally responsible after a four-month appraisal. Shimazu kept silent throughout the trial.

March 6 (Sat)

— No major events.

March 7 (Sun)

— U.N. Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to begin in Kyoto.

The six-day event will be the first major international conference including in-person sessions to be held in Japan since the novel coronavirus pandemic emerged last year. Japan expects ministerial-level officials from some 10 countries to arrive, according to the Japanese justice minister.

— The city of Urayasu to hold coming-of-age event at Tokyo Disney Sea that had been postponed from Jan. 11 due to increase of coronavirus infections.