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© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Tokyo airports — eerie reminder of virus
By JAE C HONG TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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philly1
On 3 April I was the only passenger who disembarked from the NEX at Terminal 1 at Narita. When the train had stopped at Tokyo Station the platform was empty.
Before exiting the station I stopped by the washroom where an attendant was sanitizing the faucets. She couldn't wait to engage me in conversation--definitely not the norm in the Japanese service industry.
In the airport itself there were more personnel (though it was obviously a skeleton staff) than passengers.
At the restaurant where I chose to enjoy a meal I was the only patron, and my server thanked me repeatedly for coming.
It was an eerie experience as if I were walking through a graveyard for the living.
JFX
I left from Haneda April 9th. There were some restaurants open but were mostly empty. It was eerie and dark in the terminal. I may be leaving Japan forever this time, so it was a bit of a sad way to leave..
Aly Rustom
well that's actually good news. Airports are good incubators.
One of my biggest fears is the biometrics at the airport. People Giving fingerprints one after another on the same machine could be a sure way to spread the virus.
zones2surf
Does anyone remember the period immediately after 3/11? When the TEPCO reactor in Fukushima basically melted down? Did anyone remember traveling out of Japan in the months after that and then returning to Japan?
We did so. And we came back to a very empty and half dark Narita. I will never forget it as my Japanese wife, son and myself returned. I remember vividly the immigration official saying to me, "Thank you for coming back!"
Very different circumstances, obviously, but that whole entry into Japan, the airport, the train at Narita... it was just very surreal.
Tom
Good time to change to eye biometric systems. I hate putting my fingers on those machines and really hate touching an ATM screen.
Kona Kofi
Back at the beginning of March my gf had gotten her work visa for her new job and was set to arrive in Tokyo on April 12th... but then the entry ban went into place at the beginning of the month, so now she's stuck in LA with no idea how or even if she'll be able to make it over here.