The tally of A/H1N1 infections in Japan rose to 342 in seven prefectures on Sunday, local media reported.

More than 310 of the confirmed patients live in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures, where most of the patients are students.

The government now allows elementary, junior high and high schools to resume classes Monday, after having them closed down for about one week.

But some schools, including Kobe High School in Kobe and Kansai Okura Senior High School in Osaka, where a host of students were hit by the new flu, will remain closed, Kyodo News reported.

The Japanese government has eased policies on fighting against the A/H1N1 flu as recent surveys showing the number of new infection cases have begun to decline, as well as relatively low fatality of the virus.