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Japan extends virus emergency to Sept 12; weighs legal options to enforce restrictions

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Those in government do not have a clue how the ordinary Japanese live.

Jobs in Japan are very precarious and many, many of them are related to part-time work or temporary work..

Even urging people to stay home is damaging to income.

Changes in the law to enforce the requirement that people stay home would obliterate the lives of many-financial poverty would result!

The Japanese government has not supported the people during this time and has made no announcements to do so.

More power in the hands of the Japanese government would be a complete destruction of many peoples lives – resist it!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

“calling for legislation enabling tougher restrictions on people's movements.”

Only had 18 months to legislate.

LDP. We’re always one step behind.

Now that’s a bumper sticker.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

SICK OF IT!!!!!!!

Those vaccinated & boosted..........LET US HAVE OUR FREEDOMS BACK. THE BATTLE IS LOST!

Into it two years now and it just gets worse.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Dave

Last week the tourist areas on Okinawa was packed....more than before the virus. but everyone had their magic mask on.

Was in a karaoke bar yesterday. People come in from the empty street outside with the magic masks on, then take the mask off to drink, talk and sing, and then put the magic mask back on to go back outside on the empty street.

We live in bizarro world.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

weighs legal options to enforce restrictions

What have is a power-abuse-demic, not a pandemic. So sad to see that Japanese officials are infected by this.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

For Those Seeking Vaccination Sites in Japan,

https://v-sys.mhlw.go.jp/search/

Find an inoculation venue| Corona Vaccine Navi | Ministry of Health, (mhlw.go.jp)

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

blueToday  07:02 am JST

Long story short, the plebs are again to take the fall for a complete failure of a government that is hell-bound on continuing with their double standards: one rule for the plebs and one for the politicians / Olympics.

Are you aware that soccer, baseball, sumo and other events continued right through the Olympics period with crowds? All untested.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Just temporarily raise the tax all liquor wholesale to 100%. It would not be a ban, the restaurants can still operate if they want, if they don't report the liquor sales properly, the govt now has a reason to shut them down and haul them off to court for tax evasion.

The govt may actually make up some of the free money they are giving out to the restaurants staying closed.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"expressing doubt over the effectiveness of lockdowns that have been imposed in some other countries."

So...if lockdowns don't work, where is the evidence that Japan's alternative methods (impotent SOE's which only target alcohol consumption) are effective at achieving any results? I'll wait.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

aaaar, more urging.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Pierre LeVenerable Today  01:57 pm JST

Lockdowns, experimental "vaccines", curfiews... Yes, do more of the same, I am sure it will work this time.

Please enlighten us with your immense knowledge and wisdom to manage this pandemic. We need it because the leaders of this country cannot.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@ Sam Watters

Ohmi lives in a bubble and seems to think forcing everyone into their homes for a few months will make the virus magically disappear

You mean scientifically (as the current level of our knowledge, which could be proven wrong in the future) ?

SARS-CoV2 have a limited amount of time it can live out of a host ; same for inside a host : it kill the host or the host kill it. Thus if we were to go for a real lockdown, like a strong version of Wuhan one for several month, the virus will disappear (as the current amount of knowledge and for an undtermined amount of time depending of when it find its way back).

I think we should stop calling everything in fact far different (be it by form, objective, ...) by the same name. Calling things barely different by different name is not better.

@AG

A bit too late to join the “lockdown party”.

It depends of the objective : if it is to make the virus disappear, seems fair ; if it is to protect medical system and at least slow the spread, could work. Before that, is there stuff they could do : obviously, but I am not holding my breath.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What is the point of restricting only a few prefectures when people on the border can simply travel to the neighboring prefectures to have a good time?

Does that not explain the rise of infections in many areas around the country?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

FtGuy France doesn’t refuse anything to anyone, many museums and cinemas and restaurants are actually offering free rapid tests for those who do not want (currently almost anyone could, if they wanted to) to get vaccinated and the results are good for a 48h pass to any other activity that needs one. France is also among the few countries in the world that now doesn’t require quarantine to anyone vaccinated with a EU approved vaccine from anywhere, and still allows more or less everyone else to come in following stricter procedures.

If you don’t want to get vaccinated and cannot spend 15 minutes of your time waiting for the free test to make sure you are not a potential danger for yourself and others before going to enjoy basically any ‘before-world’ activity again with the same freedom we enjoyed pre-COVID. then you deserve a lifelong lockdown.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Haven’t we had this same headline for the past three days?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@FtGuy2017

You start to wish for a vaccine and you finish in a Orwellian/segregationist state like France (who would have believed it) where you have 2 types of citizens now based on your blood stream, one can go to the supermarket and the other one cannot, one can go to hospital and one is refused the entrance by a security guard, that is the state you want?

Yes, if a business has the right to refuse a customer service for not wearing shoes or a shirt for health reasons then the same is true for vaccines. Countries have been requiring vaccination before entry for various other diseases and viruses.

Why is this any different when everyone has access to this vaccine?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

that is the state you want?

Absolutely. I would feel far better going to a bar, supermarket, restaurant, etc., if I knew that all the customers there were civic-minded people who take a moment to consider other people, rather than selfish, ignorant vermin.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

You start to wish for a vaccine and you finish in a Orwellian/segregationist state like France (who would have believed it) where you have 2 types of citizens now based on your blood stream, one can go to the supermarket and the other one cannot, one can go to hospital and one is refused the entrance by a security guard, that is the state you want?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

If the current legal powers are enough to decide to hold the Olympics and Paralympics events without fans, they are enough to decide to hold the soccer, baseball, music events without fans. What’s the point of asking 4 people to leave the restaurant at 8pm if there’s 5,000 people next door inside the stadium?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Just because you are vaccinated doesn't mean you won't contract the virus and get ill from it. The success rate for the delta and lombada variants are quite low at 60%.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Parents either can not have or do not want their children at home.

@Numan. I noticed this as well. Even before the pandemic. They don't seem to have the love connection with their children. Either communicating like friends or shouting whole day at the children.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Businesses that have realized the financial benefits of teleworking have not changed much since the SOE. Industries like Insurance, Gaming, and delivery services are flourishing. However, managers do not know how to really manage let alone teleworking employees.

Japanese schools were doing a poor job of teleworking and online lessons. Teachers are ill-prepared for online lessons. Not all student situations are suitable at home. Students are complaining they can not meet their friends. Parents either can not have or do not want their children at home.

Most schools are business as usual, and the young people will be the primary reason for increase infections especially university and high school.

With the more infectious variants, we will also begin to see a rise in elementary school infections which the schools will attempt to hide from the public that will only spread the hidden infections more.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As soon as the conversation moves from legal to "constitution", we will see Shinzo pop his head out of the shadows like Suga's puppetmaster.

Pretend he had no involvement in the Olympics, pretend the foreigners are the reason for the recent pandemic and financial problems, and pretend that he and rewriting the constitution is the answer to all these problems.

Then we see Koike lurking around waiting to see where public opinion leans the she will step out in her jumpsuit and pretend that she felt the same way the whole time

4 ( +4 / -0 )

SanjinosebleedToday  10:48 am JST

You are about 3 days late this was new here 3 days ago and you should look up the protocols for use!

Let me give you a start.

Early detection of the virus, administration of the treatment within 10 days of the First symptoms, something made very difficult with the testing here in Japan that requires showing quite a few more severe symptoms before they will test you and even the manufacturer says this is not the solution and Vaccination is the best option.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Too late for all these BS. Get ready for retirement Suga. Akita is waiting. You can do hundreds of squat exercise since you are free.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

It's as if the government wants to make the economy go south at the same time allowing the pandemic to get worse. After more than 1.5 years, not even one lockdown yet.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Here we go again not just the government and basically useless SOE but the comments here.

We are going to here calls for lockdown like New Zealand, denials covid is dangerous, the problem is fat and old people, the young people, trains, alcohol, Olympics, masks no mask, testing/not testing, vaccines/no Vaccine, etc...are the problems.

In reality all are and aren't the problems and or solutions.

Let's TRY and look at this calmly and logically.

NZ style lockdown: NZ has been closed near 100% since May 2020, it's strategy was to hide in its counter and wait for everyone else to do the job and once everyone else did their job vaccinating, etc.. then rejoin the world, well here we are August 2021 and they are sit closed and now starting to realise that the idea the rest of us would have this beat and done by now isn't working out.

So the lockdown thing isn't the solution but could be a tool in the fight on a smaller local scale if the circumstances are right.

Covid isn't dangerous or it is only old and fat people, vaccines are dangerous, etc... Let give this junk as little attention as possible as those saying this are delusional.

Young people, trains, alcohol, Olympics: on some level they are all to blame in some direct and indirect way,

The young: why should they believe their is a danger? The government numbers show just a few thousand cases in a 14 million population of Tokyo so why would they see it as a big deal? Can they get vaccinated? For the most part no because of government incompetency.

Trains,etc. Again why should people and companies see a problem? Based on the government numbers very few of the 14 million in Tokyo have covid so not much risk.

Alcohol: why close bars if the government can hold the Olympics pack trains and again officially only a few thousand cases a day in Tokyo, so the thinking is why the big deal.

Masks, Vaccine:

Masks have their limits and without other measures in place they cannot be used all the time, vaccine slow, difficult for many to get and again officially numbers say only a few thousand cases in great big Tokyo so what is the danger so people ignore or wait to long.

That brings use to testing.

Should we mass test? Or not test?

Well not testing then no one will every follow any recommendations to wear a mask, get vaccinated, etc..

Mass testing of everyone a little overkill.

Unrestricted testing for free of all those that request 7 days a week not weekend, holiday testing junk could possibly bring many of the above problems under control.

It instead of under 20,000 to as low as 3,000 are tested in Tokyo they tested 100,000 ~300,000 and instead of 2,500 to 5,000 cases a day people see 10,000 to 50,000 a day even if 90% of those cases have no symptoms and are only minorly ill, this may be what wakes up the Youth, the hesitancy, the no work from home companies, the packed trains, the spoke public vaccination in many cities.

20,000 even 50,000 declared cases a day will not change the hospital situation as still only the very ill will be admitted, most will just isolate at home reducing the spread but it will make people aware of the reality and possibly understand the government's sad and poorly executed requests to not go out, social distance etc...

But as it is now the government's own mixed message of "we have a crisis" and " cases are low for 14 million people Tokyo and 126 million Japan" just don't go together.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Good luck trying to "restrict freedom of movement," J-gov. At this late stage, might as well just let the virus run rampant and deal with the aftermath and fallout.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@TokyoJoe

Oh the irony isn't lost on me, my morning commute is way worse than anything I could do in my personal time (though they did get us fully vaccinated). I am in IT yet for some reason must be in the office every day for the all-important meetings, despite half our departments being remote work now.

I follow the instructions they give, but if I was going to be infected (assuming I am not) being cheek-to-cheek on the train would probably be where.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

In late July, positive cases spiked about 3000 in one week. For about 3 weeks since then, cases have plateaued at around 5000 per day, which indicates we've reached the top on the curve. With vaccine shots being given daily, this will likely be last of the surges until everyone is fully vaccinated.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

I could have cycled alone to the beach and watched the ocean for a while ,I would have gotten exercise which is good ,fresh air good, vitamin D also good , but no the beach is closed .

No wonder people are hating this Government , pathetic rules !

15 ( +16 / -1 )

I am kind of envious you can do that much, our company has very strongly recommended we never go out unless it is coming in to the office, so that is literally the only time I have stepped foot outside.

I haven't been to a restaurant for close to 1.5 years now. Heck, we even order groceries online. Cooking has sure improved but I do miss not eating at home.

I am the opposite here, I have not taken a train or gone to the office since April 2020. Full remote work. However I occasionally go to half empty local restraunts at lunch time with my wife and outdoor spaces at weekends with my son. I love the irony of companies telling staff to stay home and don't go out on their private time but must continue cramming into the yamanote everyday at rush hour to get to the office.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Change laws to enforce penalties? I’ll believe that when I see it. Australia has increased fines for lockdown breakers to $3,000. There was an illegal wedding in Sydney the other day and they gave out $350,000 in fines.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Isn't it time we accept the fact corona, like the flu, is not going away. Thus let us get on with our lives: You can't live without encountering risk!!!!!!

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Basically this never ends, we will be wearing masks, being injected and showing documentation for the rest of our lives. Getting sick is part of life, the question is what kind of life?

3 ( +10 / -7 )

@TokyoJoe

I for one am getting damn tired of going for lunch with my wife knowing my drinking options are orange juice or ice coffee

I am kind of envious you can do that much, our company has very strongly recommended we never go out unless it is coming in to the office, so that is literally the only time I have stepped foot outside.

I haven't been to a restaurant for close to 1.5 years now. Heck, we even order groceries online. Cooking has sure improved but I do miss not eating at home.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

This government is utterly impotent.

Zero in regards to road to a recovery plan unlike other countries. Just keep calling these useless, ineffective SOEs, drive businesses under and bury more people in debt and in need of assistance.

This country needs a serious political enema.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

I watched the press conference last night. Do not give any of these clowns more power. Ohmi lives in a bubble and seems to think forcing everyone into their homes for a few months will make the virus magically disappear and Suga just keeps repeating the same things he has been saying since January of this year. Seriously, I would give whiskey and the keys to the car to a 15-year-old boy before I would allow anyone in tbis government more power to control our lives.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

The continual preaching of 'Work From Home' shows that Suga and his colleagues have no idea what the average Taro and Kumiko do to pay taxes.

The crowded commute, the requirement for 'hankos' on every document, being in the boss's eye, as well as the fact that many jobs are just not workable from home, e.g. catering, security, transportation, construction, healthcare, cleaning, manufacturing, servicing, maintenance, and more; it's only white-collar, computer-based jobs that can go home, if the boss and company understand and approve.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Might as well just make it till Dec 31, 2021 for now.

What’s the difference?

No one even keeps track of this nonsense anymore.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

The problem for (elected) politicians is that half the population [=electorate] want a strict lockdown (although they might not appreciate it quite as much when they realise that it means them too, and that their job/business may go), and the other half don't want a lockdown.

Supporting a hibernating nation is not cheap. Other countries have seen their debt rise towards Japanese levels, so how high would Japan's rise?

And you can't really lock down. We don't live in a lab. We need food production and delivery. Utilities need to be maintained. Things need to be fixed. Medical care is required. People need to buy food. Rubbish needs to be collected.

There is capacity to move healthcare into large MASH-style buildings with fewer staff monitoring more patients. Hospitals never save everyone. They give it their best shot according to available resources. It is all we can ask of them. It's a pandemic - people will die.

Things will be grim for a period. Once the vaccinations rise, the severe cases will drop.

Regardless of government policy, most people can increase their own level of protection by altering their behaviour. Please do so, as you will be helping to reduce the spread.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Never really paid attention to Japanese politics before the pandemic but it's hard to imagine what a weaker, more useless prime minister would be like.

As for questioning the effectiveness of SOEs, sure they are useless but this is just an attempt to shift blame away from himself and on to the people. All this could and should have been avoided with proper planning and preparation.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

If anyone thinks these establishments are acting in malice by 'ignoring' the 'state of quasi-thing' , they are not being given any financial help from the 'paper pushers' (they have applied but nothing has been given) so as landlords and utilties companies still demand payment, they are left with NO CHOICE but to remain open.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

O'BrienToday  07:50 am JST

be careful what you wish for....

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It didn't once, twice, thrice, maybe this time... Even the dumbest AI would take better decisions than all combined brains of LDP.

The decisions of JapGov are no more useless, they are damaging more by confusing people with all the contradictory messages.

No preventive measures were taken to protect the people.

Medical system is shaken and cannot deal with the overwhelming number of patients.

JapGov is financially endangering the people who lives on bar/izakaya.

And media are useless, having no criticism of the government.

Japan is truly another world.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

They continue to make wild parties and hold several big events or games and the other prefectures are shut down. Thnx a lot TYO.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The LDP again repeating the same thing over and over again,eateries will have restrictions but trains and shopping malls will be jammed packed.

How possibly narrow minded and stubborn are these people?

Can’t they think out of the box and understand that this way isn’t working?

Japan is making fool of itself around the world with the same mistake be done for the third time.

And then what? They will repeat the same thing in autumn and winter?

What a mass of aged slow thinker are these incompetents at the helm of their country.

But hey,no worries because despite everything Japanese are so stubborn either to keep voting the LDP no matter what.

21 ( +23 / -2 )

the government works for the people and the people dont want to stay home any longer。

when did we stop living in a democracy?

3 ( +11 / -8 )

‘You don’t know what you’re doing. You don’t know what you’re doing.’

9 ( +10 / -1 )

If the vaccines really work, then use your power and money to get everyone vaccinated. Stop blathering on about all the other harmful and rather ineffective measures. Plan for boosters.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

Under the state of emergency, restaurants and bars serving alcohol or offering karaoke are asked to shut, while those not serving liquor are requested to close at 8 p.m. under the threat of possible fines.

failure after repeated failure yet rinse and repeat. Can not get any better than this SOE plan

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Shigeru Omi, an infectious disease expert who is the nation's top COVID-19 adviser, said members of an advisory panel for the government are calling for legislation enabling tougher restrictions on people's movements.

It's a slightly oblique way of looking at it, but if the government did somehow manage to find a legal basis to do this, and they enforced it, it would at least show initiative, rather than the almost completely useless declarations of "states of hemi-semi-demi-emergency, please follow them, oh go on, pur-leeeeease!".

It's like a parent with a kid who keeps sneaking out and going partying. The parent keeps asking the kid to not go out, but the kid continues to do it because he doesn't take the parent's threats seriously. So the parent snaps and literally locks the kid in his room for eight hours a day.

Kid won't like it, but he might finally realise that the parent has done something decisive.

2 ( +11 / -9 )

He called on the public to reduce outings to crowded areas by 50 percent to curb the spread of infections.

Suga: The public lacks the subtlety and has failed to properly grasp the meaning of my requests and urging.

They think that holding the Olympics and Paralympics and keeping crowded trains running means they do not need to reduce their outings. The public must severely reduce any outings that do not clearly contribute to the health of the LDP, Japan Inc. and our partners. It is the public's responsibility to manage the containment of the virus. We salute the valiant sacrifices of the public in reducing all extraneous activities in their daily lives other than those that directly benefit their company or our LDP administration. Thank you for your support and recognition of your proper role as a resource to be used and disposed of for our ends.

19 ( +20 / -1 )

A bit too late to join the “lockdown party”.

The virus is everywhere after a year and half with non proactive action from government sire.

At this stage only one option left, to learn to live with it and get vaxxed as soon as you can, the rest is just empty talks of quasi state of emergencies etc to pretend something is being done.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Continuing with this attack on alcohol. 

I am not in favor of this mixed message ban and agree with you. Yes, its stupid.

But I can offer this bit of Japan-specific reasoning:

No doubt, the virus spread in the air, particularly when people spray it all over by talking loud, blabbering, cheering, etc.

Now, while in many foreign countries this method of communication is the norm, whether with or without alcohol, as you can attest to, usually the only time Japanese communicate with raised voices or with any exuberance is when they've had a few drinks. Otherwise, Japanese tend (note I said "tend") to be pretty subdued with speaking.

But having a drink in a silent bar or a beer for lunch is not OK.

Agreed, but how is this enforced? How is this distinction made? How is it explained to the unruly and now drunk oji-san that he needs to stop blabbering to the quiet little nerd he just met sitting next to him.?

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

Present Japan's PM Suga who prioritizes his political self-satisfaction than defending human life had wasted immense tax for Olympics but he dislikes to use enough tax for preventing infection. therefore, he avoids lock-down involving monetary compensation.

at press conference last night, He who caused domestic worst infection epidemic despite declaration that he prevents infection spreading during Olympics used Delta variants as excuse to evade responsibility.

But, neighbouring Taiwan is about to succeed even to suppress infection of Delta variants despite lower vaccination rate than Japan.

23 ( +24 / -1 )

agreed on the need to consider legal options to bolster the government's measures, while expressing doubt over the effectiveness of lockdowns that have been imposed in some other countries. He called on the public to reduce outings to crowded areas by 50 percent to curb the spread of infections.

So far no actual penalties or punishment is decided.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Keep weighing, considering and pondering another 2 years.

24 ( +27 / -3 )

how in the hell is me having a beer at lunchtime going to effect my chances of contracting or spreading covid.

I also want to know the answer for that.

If groups of young women packing the coffee shops from morning to evening, laughing and giggling during telling their love stories to each other is OK.

But having a drink in a silent bar or a beer for lunch is not OK.

This is the most stupid corona prevention the world have ever seen.

54 ( +57 / -3 )

Continuing with this attack on alcohol. I for one am getting damn tired of going for lunch with my wife knowing my drinking options are orange juice or ice coffee, how in the hell is me having a beer at lunchtime going to effect my chances of contracting or spreading covid.

45 ( +51 / -6 )

Legal actions....

Isn't a little bit to late after 1.5 years.

32 ( +33 / -1 )

He called on the public to reduce outings to crowded areas by 50 percent to curb the spread of infections

Do crowded areas include the full packed office I have to go every day?

I will ask my boss today, if my office with 300 people inside is a crowded area or not.

38 ( +39 / -1 )

Rapid spread of Delta variant virus is suspected of airborne infections.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

It’s 7am and I’m on the Chuo-Sobu line in Tokyo and the train is packed with windows down. Yes people have masks on but it’s packed with lots of people standing. This surely has to be one of the problems. It’s like this daily on so many train lines.

How about forcing more companies to have their workers work from home and have schools go online from September. It can’t just be “stop serving alcohol, stop people singing and stop people eating after 8.”

Reducing going out by 50% is nearly impossible if you work or go to school.

44 ( +47 / -3 )

He called on the public to reduce outings to crowded areas by 50 percent to curb the spread of infections.

But what about all those discounts being offered to vaccinated people?

So the overall message is this:

Please don't go out. But if you do decide to go out, please enjoy a discount!

23 ( +29 / -6 )

The seven prefectures are already under a quasi-state of emergency, which carries fewer restrictions on business activity, 

There are no "restrictions" under the State of Emergency.

There are only "requests".

The article even goes on to detail these SOE "requests" and how many places (as we can all attest to) are not complying. Here's an article showing how over 40% of bars in central Tokyo are not obeying the "request" to close by 8pm.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210817/p2a/00m/0na/023000c

24 ( +29 / -5 )

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