Businesses in Tokyo area say state of emergency extension was inevitable

Why, in the name of all that's gracious, is Japan the last developed country on earth to start rolling out the vaccine?

Trains are packed in the mornings and evenings, Oyajis still stroll around with their neck-nappies on, gobbing in the street, and Japan can't get vaccination started, when its entire economic policy is based on getting hordes of people here in a few short months to watch the five-ring circus.

The ineptitude is staggering.

With central banks printing money as never before in history, it is unacceptable how some businesses are still not getting adequate financial support from governments after one year of lockdowns and pseudo state of emergencies etc.

It is all being injected in the financial markets, only contributing to an already unequal society.

This applies here and most governments around the world.

There are around 2,000 new cases in Tokyo every week. That is not “under control!”

2.000 cases from the weighted few number tests performed. Who cares if it makes the country proud.

Businesses in the Tokyo metropolitan area said Friday's extension of the coronavirus state of emergency declared over the Japanese capital and nearby prefectures was inevitable given the virus situation but fretted over insufficient government aid.

They are not representative, for some small-sized businesses have earned quite sufficiently under the SOE (via the aid of 60,000 yen per business day). Not surprisingly, they may prefer a SOE extension. The rescue package is unfairly distributed.

As I stated many months ago, Japan’s somewhat relaxed approach to controlling the spread of the virus is going to drag the pandemic out for years and cost individuals their livelihoods and the country billions. There are around 2,000 new cases in Tokyo every week. That is not “under control!”

Inevitable, hopeless, nothing I can do...

To paraphrase a great movie, the Japanese public needs to "get mad as hell and not take it any more!"

Their ruling party are incompetent, self-interested parasites who will neither implement the measures needed to clamp down on the virus nor provide relief to the public coping with the damage their half-hearted measures and pronouncements do to people's livelihoods.

Enough of this attitude of resignation.

expat Today 04:23 pm JST

Other than restrictions on restaurants and bars, what exactly are the other "emergency" measures?

Where a green and blue/grey colored industrial type emergency jacket from one of those Workman stores perhaps and maintain a serious expression on your face......................oh and stand in front of a billboard.

But in other news today the olympics will go ahead.

"While I thought re-extension (of the state of emergency) was inevitable, we cannot cover (our losses) with just 600,000 yen ($5,500) in aid," said 50-year-old Junichi Sasaki

I don't know what this guy is whining about, the Olympics require about 20 Billion Yen. Wave your flag. Catch your disease. Tax funds that could have helped you have been given to a higher purpose.

The COVID cases are dropping like a rock in Japan and worldwide since WHO changed the testing guidelines at the beginning of January 2021.

Has Japan ever followed the WHO guideline ? I don't think they have ever followed it. They have done exactly the opposite.

In any case, I don't think Koike has enough illustrative signs around her.

In any case, I don't think Koike has enough illustrative signs around her.

How many of the signs are being covered by the TV, her, and the lectern?

The economic damage is worse than the disease.Most people are not at risk, not enough to shut down economies.

This of course requires a reference that proves it, a personal opinion simply have no weight.

@Cognac - when you or one of your family members are fighting for their life on a respirator in intensive care and you suffer from respiratory ailments for the rest of your life because of COVID your sarcastic attitude may change.

What world do we live in where this is normal? Thank goodness the heads are saying "herd immunity" will arrive before summer this year.

A pandemic is not normal, so measures that have demonstrated an effect in reducing their importance are perfectly valid and positive. The scientific consensus puts herd immunity at a much later phase, even counting with a generalized vaccination as a condition, much more in Japan, where the incidence of infection is low and immunization even more.

A number of people have made comparisons between places with and without lockdowns and found no/little difference. And there is also Dr. John Ioannidis (epidemiologist) who concluded that lock downs have very little effect.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eci.13484

One, well designed studies have actually demonstrated the social distancing measures, including lockdowns have a deep effect reducing the spread of the pandemic and unnecessary hospitalization and deaths.

Not even one have ever suggested that what is done in Japan is unnecessary or ineffective.

Ioannidis has no longer the respect he once had because it became obvious he is receiving money to produce faulty research that was inconceivable for his old standards, making sloppy science with mistakes he once criticized heavily, It has become clear that at least with respect with COVID he is being paid to produce bad science in order to discredit lockdowns.

https://undark.org/2020/04/24/john-ioannidis-covid-19-death-rate-critics/

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/stanford-coronavirus-neeleman-ioannidis-whistleblower

He is no longer a respected scientist because of this. Anybody that would think a conflict of interest as an automatic disqualifier for bad scientific studies would never try to use this very clear example as valid. Specially with studies based completely on comparing different countries, with very different situations as if each had the same need and effect of their lockdowns, even for a layman that should be an obvious fault of the design, even more for someone that made his career criticizing these kind of problems.

Of course it's not "normal" and now Pfizer and Moderna want 3 shots annually (like the disappearing influenza virus - which are magically being reclassified as by CDC as COVID

This is completely false, why repeat things you know to be mistaken, in order to have a discussion people should only use things known to be true, not the opposite, people may think you want to mislead them on purpose. Try to find a reference that prove this, you will find nothing, that should be clear enough to let you know it is not true.

while still telling you that you need to mask and social distance for the rest of 2021 and maybe next year

This was the position from the beginning, which is why authorities and experts made a huge effort to change the concept of "after COVID to "with COVID", getting surprised for something that has been said for almost a year by now is not a valid argument.

And your "scientific consensus" puts herd immunity happening this summer. There is a lot to look forward to now that's been announced. People may realize that you won't need to inject after all.

Sure, prove it. Put references to professional organizations saying so, specially for Japan.

The important point, is that scientific consensus do not consist on one person here and there saying it, specially if they are out of their field of expertise, it means the vast majority of the related organizations share this opinion, Find the WHO, CDC, etc. saying this and you could prove it is the consensus, not before.

You still may disagree but thank goodness WHO guidance continues to push PCR cycles downward (45 down to 30 but 17 would be preferable). All of a sudden cases are dropping even before the public started getting the jab.

This is a completely false argument that I already disproved to you, so much that you could not refute it. I can easily copy-paste the link where you were proven wrong again.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-who-instructions-pcr-guidan/fact-check-who-released-guidance-on-proper-use-of-tests-it-did-not-admit-pcr-tests-showed-inflated-infection-numbers-idUSKBN2A429W

A very important point is that the vast majority of the positive tests come at cycles lower than 25, reducing the number of cycles to any point above this would have no significant effect on the number of positives.

https://twitter.com/MackayIM/status/1352881481476055040?s=20

So the reduction of actual cases is completely unrelated, and well explained by higher adherence to social distancing measures, end of the end of year spreader events, change of seasons and fortunately the beginning of vaccinations.

Why do you repeat a point that has been already proven false to you? repeating it do not make it more true.

@Expat: Good question. Nobody knows.

I just hope when they negotiate with the virus they asked it to tolerate the people of Tokyo simply going somewhere else to drink and otherwise spread the virus. In my town so much are they celebrating the end of the virus since March 1st that they are setting up a stage for live performances at the popular cherry blossom party spot that ALREADY has blue tarps all over the place "saving" the spaces. We've also got spring break coming up, and not long after Golden Week. Hope people are ready for the fourth wave.

As I stated many months ago, Japan’s somewhat relaxed approach to controlling the spread of the virus is going to drag the pandemic out for years and cost individuals their livelihoods and the country billions. There are around 2,000 new cases in Tokyo every week. That is not “under control!”

concur 100%

The economic damage is worse than the disease.Most people are not at risk, not enough to shut down economies.

Koike needs to understand what starvation is like before ordering people to stay at home.

A number of people have made comparisons between places with and without lockdowns and found no/little difference. And there is also Dr. John Ioannidis (epidemiologist) who concluded that lock downs have very little effect.

An epidemiologist is not an economist.

And in a pandemic it is unlikely that such a job would be at risk of economic uncertainty-the opposite is true.

How many millions with no jobs does Dr Ioannidis know?

I need to see the examples of people supporting students at university or donating to the homeless and the hungry or supporting people whose boss cannot suddenly pay them in a lockdown or taking food to people with the virus in a 10 day quarantine.

I have done all or am doing the above right now.

Of course, there are those who think having a link to this or that somehow enables the opinion giver (on this site) to possess instant credence-a superficial standpoint for sure.

Even when such links are furnished then contrary information is ignored or becomes nonsense.

I know my truth and that is good enough for me...

As I stated many months ago, Japan’s somewhat relaxed approach to controlling the spread of the virus is going to drag the pandemic out for years and cost individuals their livelihoods and the country billions. There are around 2,000 new cases in Tokyo every week. That is not “under control!”

my gosh 2000 new cases a week means 8000 cased in a month !!!

at this rate all the population of Tokyo will be infected in the year 2166 :O

The economic damage is worse than the disease. Most people are not at risk, not enough to shut down economies.

Koike needs to understand what starvation is like before ordering people to stay at home.

Absolutely and it's so sad. Employment is down, so many laid off or with working hours cut (especially travel, hospitality, restaurants, entertainment), businesses are struggling to stay afloat with many already shutting their doors permanently.

At least Japan is providing some relief to businesses but have left the workers high and dry leading to eventual homelessness as majority of people are 1 paycheck away from their savings drying up. Finding another job nearly impossible with everyone else clamoring for what opportunities are left.

The isolation due to lockdowns, growing depression, inability to see friends and family due to the previous "FEAR" of cases going up, asymptomatic children categorized as "super spreaders" being forced to mask up, alcoholism, drug use, suicides all continuing to rise.

What world do we live in where this is normal? Thank goodness the heads are saying "herd immunity" will arrive before summer this year.

A pandemic is not normal, so measures that have demonstrated an effect in reducing their importance are perfectly valid and positive. The scientific consensus puts herd immunity at a much later phase, even counting with a generalized vaccination as a condition, much more in Japan, where the incidence of infection is low and immunization even more.

Of course it's not "normal" and now Pfizer and Moderna want 3 shots annually (like the disappearing influenza virus - which are magically being reclassified as by CDC as COVID) while still telling you that you need to mask and social distance for the rest of 2021 and maybe next year (if we put our trust in them we'd be doing annual shots 10-20 years from now due to OMG "new variants"). We may end up removing the 1-in-a-million, needle in a haystack, influenza vaccines after all.

And your "scientific consensus" puts herd immunity happening this summer. There is a lot to look forward to now that's been announced. People may realize that you won't need to inject after all.

You still may disagree but thank goodness WHO guidance continues to push PCR cycles downward (45 down to 30 but 17 would be preferable). All of a sudden cases are dropping even before the public started getting the jab.

The COVID cases are dropping like a rock in Japan and worldwide since WHO changed the testing guidelines at the beginning of January 2021.

Look at the charts.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/japan/

The economic damage is worse than the disease.Most people are not at risk, not enough to shut down economies.

This of course requires a reference that proves it, a personal opinion simply have no weight.

A number of people have made comparisons between places with and without lockdowns and found no/little difference. And there is also Dr. John Ioannidis (epidemiologist) who concluded that lock downs have very little effect.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eci.13484

Main conclusion: "While small benefits cannot be excluded, we do not find significant benefits on case growth of more restrictive NPIs (nonpharmaceutical interventions). Similar reductions in case growth may be achievable with less‐restrictive interventions."

Ioannidis is a highly respected epidemiologist (many say he’s the top one) and very highly cited. He is of course often attacked by the big pharma funded provaccine community with wild baseless accusations.

Goramcowboy, you think you can do a better job? if not, no need the insult.

Total shut down now means more lives are saved.