Buses with passengers from cruise ship leave port

Buses carrying passengers from formerly quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship left a port in Yokohama on Thursday, escorted by Japan's Self-Defence Forces and police.

ship started letting passengers who tested negative for virus off ship on Wednesday when government-set 14-day quarantine ended.

Japan said it would disembark around 500 passengers who tested negative for virus per day through Friday.

Test results are still pending for some people on board.

621 cases of new virus confirmed among ship's original 3,711 passengers constitute highest number anywhere outside China.

In total, Japan has confirmed more 700 confirmed cases, including country's first death unrelated to ship.