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TOKYO, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan increased by 1,045 to reach 105,079 as of Thursday night, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities, with the new daily cases exceeding 1,000 for the first time since Aug. 21.

As the government has eased restrictions and promoted domestic travel to help boost the economy hit hard by the pandemic, the number of infections has been trending upward in recent days.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, 269 new cases were reported on Thursday, with the capital's cumulative total reaching 31,893, the highest among the country's 47 prefectures. In Osaka Prefecture, the number of people who tested positive for the coronavirus stood at 125 on Thursday.

In the country's northern main island of Hokkaido, the number of new cases was 119, topping 100 for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stood at 1,819, with seven new fatalities announced Thursday.

Some health experts have warned that lower temperatures, forcing people into often poorly ventilated indoor environments, are believed to make the virus more transmissible.