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92 from Chicago let in at Narita airport without being asked to self-isolate

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Complete and utter stupidity. Some WILL be infected, guaranteed.

Ministry of Health officials should lose their jobs and pension over this - but they won't.

36 ( +36 / -0 )

I will not forgive the staff for their gross negligence and incompetence. You are paid to work well and not to commit blunders that have egregious consequences for the health of the entire citizenry. As the saying goes,some mistakes are expensive. This case is a classical example of a pricey mistake that no apology can suffice irrespective of the position of the person rendering it. Their apology is unacceptable. They need to be fired as soon as possible or better still prosecuted and jailed for willfully endangering human life.

3 ( +12 / -9 )

and I’m sure even if asked they’d all isolate themselves for two weeks, too.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Japanese can't even enforce their own laws ....what a joke!

but stay at home everyone...

this is a serious situation !

don't panic!

lmao!

14 ( +18 / -4 )

@Reckless

Uh...I hope your son isn't infected(sincerely and worriedly). The first question that pops up is what about the next person who rents the car? To me, in this situation, rental cars are 'public transportation' (technically not).

I don't know what folks like you are supposed to do, so I don't blame you for doing this.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Lets be honest. Its a soft rule anyway. No containment and asking to self isolate?

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Damn.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Beggars belief.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

However, because the nationality of the people in question isn't mentioned I suspect they are Japanese

Really? it was American airline coming from America. More likely they were American.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

To lock-down or not, Soudan-chuu!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's a flight from Chicago but as we all know, the passengers aren't necessary from the Chicago metropolitan area. They could have transferred from all over the east coast including Europe, for those who made it to North America before the ban.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

What is fascinating is that the State of Emergency law retains the sovereignty of citizens, by only granting authorities the power to strongly request people follow a course of action. In this sense, Japan is far more democratic than countries imposing martial law and moving the police and military to enforce it.

And yet, the death penalty and state secrets laws grant the government extreme authority.

Oh for the love of contradiction.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Sorry to sound ignorant - I haven't checked up on this.

If self isolation now is compulsory on return to Japan, and public transport is also banned, who decides where the returnees isolate (hotel, apartment etc) and who picks up the tab?

In Australia all accomodation handling & costs are dealt with by a govt agency.

Is it the same here?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

During a pandemic all it takes is ONE superspreader and kaboom.

Then you have the next Italy, Spain or New York City.

Apologies won't be enough, some heads better start rolling.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Just as bad, when I came in through Fukuoka last week, there was no hand sanitizer before or after the fingerprint machine.

Literally everyone has to touch the same point on the machines. It's a contagion nightmare! They have to let people clean their hands afterward!

Yes, I have emailed immigration about this, but I don't know if anything will come of it.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

The ministry said the airport's quarantine station miscalculated

So govt personal screwed the people !

Been happening since the beginning of time.

When a govt or anyone in a govt screws up they should be held accountable to the people and should also suffer greater consequences than a citizen would, these personal are supposed to be our trust guardians.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These mistakes are not because of specific individuals. The fault rests with the leadership. To mitigate risks, policies and frameworks must be clearly defined and communicated to those responsible for enforcing them. Otherwise, under pressure, even the most experienced frontline staff can make mistakes. A sorry state of affairs indeed... :(

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@Reckless

I agree with you but this was the only option we had. We wiped down the handles and steering wheel after with alcohol and I inquired and the cars are always cleaned after each use on the interior.

Thanks Reckless. And again, I hope your son will be OK. He is lucky to be home. BTW, I got a notification from the Tokyo US Embassy for folks to expect, at any time, for returnees to not be able to quarantine at home, but instead a facility of the Japanese Government's choosing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I’m Japanese and am constantly disappointed by our government’s response to major crises. This time, unfortunately and appallingly, is no different, and it will cost many lives. To Japanese politicians, the people never come first and the calculus is always based on their own twisted priorities. My friends and I received an email from the Gaimusho yesterday - exactly one day after the Olympics were postponed - warning us about the gravity of the situation. None of us believe that this timing nor the timing of Tokyo finally ramping up is coincidental. They’ve been downplaying the situation all this time hoping that it would just go away so that they wouldn’t have to change the Olympics timeline. Do my fellow citizens really truly believe the number of deaths and cases in Japan that are being published? If so, they need to check their hubris. Anyone with a clear mind should realize that the gov deliberately limited testing to keep numbers artificially low. People ARE getting sick and ARE dying from COVID19, but they aren’t being counted because they haven’t been identified. Ignorance is bliss and ignorance means calling COVID19 the flu. The government will have blood on their hands. I just hope it won’t be that of my aging relatives. :-(

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Unbelievable! When are the next elections! These politicians are worthless and overpaid.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

What could go wrong?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

self-isolate for 14 days and refrain from using public transport.

It boggles the mind to think they believe people will really follow the

advisory. I leave in Niigata arrive through Narita or Haneda, no one to pick me up, so where do I self quarantine for 14 days as I can't use public transport.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

How will foreigners ( tourist ) get around without using public transportation? Some are still coming for a few days so self isolation for 14 day is unrealistic! Nobody travels to Japan to self isolate themselves in a hotel room for 14days! This self isolated measure is a farce! If Japan is serious about protecting its citizens and foreign residents then close the borders for tourist already! They should have locked it down a few weeks before!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

No one with info re my earlier question on how & where does the madatory quarantining take place and who organizes and pays for it?

I'm asking because my wife's co-worker's son is trying to get back from Europe, probably over the weekend.

He must isolate, so my query.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Wow,.........................now, we have may 50% of those people with the corona c.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

This is very sad and not forgivable act done by Japanese airport authorities. From wuhan 1 infected came out and now more then 5 million infected. Have you done calculation by 92.

All 92 passengers must be quarantined immediately.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why wasn’t the flight cancelled to begin with. Idiots

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japanese polite to the bitter end.

“Sir, please isolate yourself if you can. I’m sorry to have to ask you. Please don’t be angry sir. “

No one will self isolate if it’s voluntary.

Great job Japan.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

They utterly messed up the handling of the Diamond.

They have screwed up entire handling of the crisis so far and let it virus run rampant throughout Japan.

And a long list of other things.

Now, this.

Surprising? No.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Reminds me of the 2 African bouncers who infected around 200 Swedish women each in about 6 months with HIV. They knew they were positive. They got long prison sentences. If these Americans come from the worlds most worst pandemic hotspot, they should be quarantined. Govt is responsible. Two men in Sweden=400. 92 from Chicago could be 1000+ COVID-91 depending if Japanese social distant.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@CA Japanese - You make your point very eloquently, and I completely agree with you.

I urge you to share your grievances with your local politician(s), governor, mayor etc. as well as local and national journalists.

If you have friends and family who think the same, encourage them to do so too. Letters and emails can be anonymous - as can social media contact.

As you are Japanese I feel that your voice is stronger than mine, and more likely to be listened to.

The only way change ever happens, and the only way people in power are held to account, is when the ‘normal people’ speak up instead of remaining silent.

This general incompetence by the people supposedly in charge of the country and our interests has gone on far too long. Japanese people (and us foreigners living here too) need to make it clear that it’s not acceptable, and there need to be big changes.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

It's not a big deal. They were going to be ™asked" to self quarantine anyways so, yeah. No big deal.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When a govt or anyone in a govt screws up they should be held accountable to the people

Agreed but how often do we see governments and leaders being held accountable?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Beyond pointing out the sheer stupidity and incompetence of our elected officials, why is this even news when up until Wednesday they had no restrictions? From a big picture perspective, does it even matter that there are 92 people out and about when there have been hundreds of passengers arriving from the US at various airports in Japan in the days and weeks before with no restrictions whatsoever? What about the flight that departed US an hour before the cut off? How many were on that flight? It’s all too little, too late if you ask me. Meanwhile places like HK and Taiwan have had stringent restrictions, screening, and protocols in place at airports for months...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Letting in travelers from a country with the highest number of infections is just dumb!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@HBJ Thank you. I will do that although they will probably just file my letter away because it would be an inconvenience to acknowledge what I write. Japanese bureaucrats are very good at that - filing things away...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I know students that came back from Europe last week and we'ret tested at KIX or asked to self quarantine. Japan is going to end up being the worst hit country by COVID-19 if they keep dragging their feet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Like 1 hour after the deadline makes a difference from anyone having it or not??.. “It is extremely regrettable..”

0 ( +0 / -0 )

PLEASE NOTE

I live in Dalian China

As reported yesterday by the government in Dalian China, a 15 year old boy traveling from New York to Dalian on 3/23 with JL5 and on JL827 to Dalian on 3/24 has tested positive for Covid19. I wonder if they are able to track all passengers and people who were in contact to isolate them! Here in Dalian, all Passengers from JL827 have been quarantined and are isolated.

I truly hope that the will find all people from JL5 and quarantine them ..

THIS IS NO JOKE ! JAPAN WAKE UP!

Stay safe ! STAY HOME

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"This incident is really regrettable and shouldn't have happened," Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference.

Can’t Abe find one competent person for his cabinet? This genius after spreading corona by his stupid decisions will soon be “urging” and “blaming” people for not following the “urges”.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@CA Japanese

I will do that although they will probably just file my letter away because it would be an inconvenience to acknowledge what I write. Japanese bureaucrats are very good at that - filing things away...

That's probably true - but the more correspondence they get, the more difficult it becomes to ignore it.

The more pressure they are put under by the national media (which is pathetic by the way), as well as the foreign media, the better.

Please stick around here and keep posting!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So is this quarantine in a location specified by the quarantine chief as indicated on the ANA site ? I assume that foreign passengers are not responsible for a 14 day hotel stay but agreed with others they definitely deserve to know in advance.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Welcome to Japan! Come on in, would you like a packet of tissues for your cough, don't worry the Pollen here is oddly strong this time of the year ... Global Warming. Welcome!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@ browny1

You should check with the embassy.

Foreigner can not come to Japan from most of Europa directly or by taking a flight from elsewhere. Perhaps, family from Japanese citizen can, they should see with Japan embassy.

If he is a foreigner and do not compel, the authority should be able to use visa right as leverage way (cancellation, entry ban in the future, ...).

If he is Japanese, he should be able to came back if he find a flight.

Usually, stuff are not mandatory. Thus you have to do it at your how cost.

According to Reckless' case (in this comment section), home quarantine seems possible. And, article were about being asked to self quarantine at home or hostel, so ... .

They better check with embassy, I do not think that any of us have access to the official guideline.

@ Reckless

Hoping you son and the rest of the family stay well, do you have any official knowledge for browny1 ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The ministry said the airport's quarantine station miscalculated the time difference and omitted All Nippon Airways Co's Flight NH11 from those covered by the new step despite it having left Chicago at 1 a.m. Thursday Japan time.

This shows the foolishness of saying "we're bringing in drastic measures in x hours' time". If it is an emergency, simple is best. Do it now. This is a rapidly changing global pandemic and anyone getting on an international flight at this time is entitled to absolutely nothing. You can give them the whole nine yards of quarantines and measures and general meiwaku and they have no right to complain.

(reassuring to know that the people supposed to keep Japan safe can't even calculate a time difference)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

WTF. We are so in trouble.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

STUPID. Stupid and negligent to the max.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan does not use QR code braces or apps to track those coming into the country from abroad. Once you step out past customs, you’re free and unwatched.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

UK9393Mar. 27  11:46 pm JST

WTF. We are so in trouble

What do you mean? You think that by beating the deadline, those who showed up a day earlier are not infected? C'mon, be for real....

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Nobody should be travelling...period. Shut the trains and airports down!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yes, packed trains and restaurants in Tokyo...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yeah, considering how much does virus is spread as it is, a complete and total boneheaded blunder on their part. Now I wouldn’t go quite extent that no apology would suffice in the situation, but there should definitely be some serious punishments to all those involved with this blunder.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Digs: Well, perhaps look at Taiwan, Hong Kong, for an answer to your question to UK.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"No containment and asking to self isolate?"

Why such incredulity?

It's exactly what you've got over here in sunny Britain.

No one is compulsively quarantined.

Actually thousands are taking this opportunity to pull a sickie, declare self-isolation only to be spotted sun-bathing in the many parks around town!

Later on they flock the shops;

When the rest of us (who actually go to work) want to buy anything we're confronted with empty shelves everywhere you go.

And then JT'eers talk about "panic buying" in Japan!

No 5000 Lions, Hyenas and Tigers have been released onto the streets of London to control the populace.

Yet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan didn't seem to care the last 3 months, and they were getting ready to welcome 600,000 for the Olympics. "Now" all a sudden they are worried about 1 flight they didn't check, a little too late!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The nationalities aren't mentioned, but I assume they are Japanese, since the current minimal capacity handled by airlines is aimed at repatriation, not travel. I wonder if they were scanned for fever.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wouldn't the airline make an announcement about the quarantine requirement?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What problem? Japan is a safety country!!!!

*slaps*****

Why is anyone flying abroad in March 2020 anyways?

People, please read or watch ANYTHING online, chances are you'll see something about some kind of virus going on around the world. Corona something.............

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Flute - thanks for your reply & concern.

I was just asking initally as my wife and I were wondering if our Japanese friends son will have to pay all costs to self-isolate as he doesn't live in Tokyo and supposedly isn't allowed to use public transport. I believe the family would have fully investigated this themselves - just we were curious.

Since my 1st post more info has come about and it seems that there is no authorative prevention of people travelling after arrival and no enforcemment of quarantine. It's just a "suggestion".

My wife will find out more details of the friends son situation after going back to work tomorrow.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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