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No imminent plan for another state of emergency for Tokyo, Fukuoka: minister

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I love that photo of shoppers maintaining social distancing. If it's like all the supermarkets I've been too, all sense of social distancing is thrown out the window as soon as they get in, and then when they reach the cashiers, suddenly, social distancing makes an appearance again.

24 ( +25 / -1 )

"Japanese Government: No Plan". Fixed the title.

4 ( +26 / -22 )

@smithinjapan hahaha love it because its true.

1 ( +15 / -14 )

Where is my 120,000yen Shinzo?

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Numan: "Where is my 120,000yen Shinzo?"

Whaaaat? Why do you get an extra 20,000? Surely you are referring to the beautiful, perfectly-sized, non-bug or hair filled masks Abe graciously spent hundreds of millions on, right? It was two per household, regardless of if you had one person there, or a million. So, easy to add the extra "2", I guess, given the sheer high quality and worth of said masks.

Anyway, the fact that they have to address this at all shows that they know it is a very real possibility the numbers are going to increase to the point where they'll need to reinstitute the stay-at-home suggestions, and the threats of free advertising for pachinko parlors. And they likely also know the numbers are probably 10-fold what have been reported, since there is no testing here.

-7 ( +11 / -18 )

Why is NHK talking about a 2nd wave when the first wave is still here!?!?

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Are you kidding me guys???

How can 5 people be a wave?

Look at other countries who still have daily infections more than 400 and these countries start to open up everything.

-2 ( +11 / -13 )

Monty

Are you kidding me guys???

How can 5 people be a wave?

Are you kidding me Monty, in believing in these numbers?

4 ( +11 / -7 )

A sensible decision. The narrative is finally starting to change. The faster, the better.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@Vinkie

In one side I agree with you.

But can you believe any government in the world that the numbers they are telling you are correct?

But let me tell you in what I believe. And that is my personal experience in my every day life here in Japan:

The japanese citizens do everything they personally can do to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing masks, using hand sterilizer everywhere, and keep social distance as much as possible, many companies changed to telework, in many departement stores and restaurants they check my fever before I can go in...and so on.

In that, I do believe and trust!

5 ( +11 / -6 )

If the SOE is lifted can companies still pay 60% of the salary or should it be 100%?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@SmithJapan

Guess what, Japan succeeded!

Numbers speak for themselves, no need for anti-Japan propaganda.

Can't always get away with lies and speaking false, bias comments with No real facts.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

having no plan is the plan alright

0 ( +3 / -3 )

bo

If the SOE is lifted can companies still pay 60% of the salary or should it be 100%?

If you're doing your job as normal, you should be getting a normal salary.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

AlexBecu

@SmithJapan

Guess what, Japan succeeded!

Numbers speak for themselves, no need for anti-Japan propaganda.

Can't always get away with lies and speaking false, bias comments with No real facts.

Hey. Honest question: do you think it was good management from the national govt, or a mixture of luck and cultural norms (like... social distancing already - kinda - existing)?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Monty

The japanese citizens do everything they personally can do to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing masks, using hand sterilizer everywhere, and keep social distance as much as possible, many companies changed to telework, in many departement stores and restaurants they check my fever before I can go in...and so on.

There have been many in-hospital infection of Medical staff, does it mean they didn't wear mask or washed their hands ?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

“Hope the WOC just cancels the games so we can get the real numbers...sick and tired of this lying goverment...and all the for show meaning less crap they are carrying on with....its herd immunity there is no other choice only prolonging the inevitable....”

Absosutely correct.

“The japanese citizens do everything they personally can do to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing masks, using hand sterilizer everywhere, and keep social distance as much as possible, many companies changed to telework, in many departement stores and restaurants they check my fever before I can go in...and so on.”

Absolute BS. There was no real state of emergency. Social distancing was/is a joke. Bars never closed. Pachinko never closed. Parks and beaches have been rammed since early April. So no the Japanese have not been doing everything they can to prevent the spread of the virus.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

AlexBecuToday 09:00 pm JST

Guess what, Japan succeeded!

Sorry, I don't like commenting anymore because international research is producing conflicting data.

But I have to ask...Japan Succeeded at what?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I’ve seen no social distancing in supermarkets or anywhere else in my neck of the woods.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

All it takes is for some wandering oyaji to spread covid around and its back to square one. Might as well go for herd immunity. This virus is nothing but the common cold on steroids. Some call it the honey badger virus. We might never have it contained. If I were retired, I'd be like "hey, younger generation, don't let my generation thats left you absolutely nothing determine your future. We'll be ok. Don't worry about us." Sure, some seniors and obese people over 50 think everyone should isolate and lose their jobs for them and their weak immune system. Sorry, but you should isolate or suffer the consequences.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Alex Becau: "Guess what, Japan succeeded!"

Succeeding in fooling some, evidently. Succeeded in being one of the last nations to provide assistance to its people, true (I think it may finally arrive 'swiftly' next month). Succeeded in the Diamond Princess being a household name, yes.

"Numbers speak for themselves"

Yeah, second last in the world for testing, with Korea beating them every step of the way. Perhaps the US takes top rank in corruption with Covid-19 (by far), but Japan with lawmakers reselling masks, Abenomasks and other scandals, Japan's not far behind. But hey, they've got a lot of suckers bragging about numbers when they've had no testing (something Trump is no doubt envious of since he too admits "no test, no numbers!"), but hey. But I did get a kick out of the reason list I saw on TV the other night as to why "Japan did so well":

1) The Japanese language is softer than foreign languages (including the Romance languages, which means your native Italian is harsher than Japanese) and involves less aspiration and spitting. Might actually explain why Kanto, where they shout "Nippon!" had more cases than Kansai where they softly say, "Nihon".... so maybe they're onto something!

2) Only in Japan do they wear masks regularly anyway. Yup, this was actually said, despite the fact that in Hong Kong, Vietnam, and other countries they do it far more and have for longer.

3) Japanese take baths every day. No one else does, heathens!

4) Washoku spices. Yup. Baffled on that one, but not surprised.

5) No hugging or shaking hands, because that's what all other countries do.

6) Japanese neighbors are always watching, so people are afraid to behave poorly: They may well be spying on you at all times and not minding their own business, true, but the show forgot about the bullying culture where they can't report it, so it is meaningless. Unlike in other nations where not wearing a mask actually has consequences and people speak up.

7) Few religious assemblies: I mean, hell, none of us have ever been to those packed hatsumoude, setsubun, oshougatsu, or other festivals or religious events, no!

8) don't wear shoes indoors, like they do in all other countries.

9) Toilets are cleaner, especially the ones in parks where people try to defecate in the urinals or just on the ground, leave adult diapers, and around the squat toilets after curry and an enkai.

I forget the rest, but it was followed by a whole lot more of Ikegami's usual "Look what I just checked out on Wikipedia!" nonsense in the subsequent program.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

To the commentators saying Japanese numbers are low because Japanese people already wear (mostly paper/foam) face masks and don't touch eachother, how can you explain medical professionals wearing gloves and properly fitted masks catching COVID19?

Honest question: Can someone explain why people are social distancing while waiting for registers in a store but walking around the store touching the same objects and standing next to eachother is okay? Does Covid only spread to people standing in line at a register? Also can you only catch after 8pm but not during the day?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Luddite: "I’ve seen no social distancing in supermarkets or anywhere else in my neck of the woods."

Ah, come on, be fair. They do it for show. In the bank again on Friday afternoon they had people stand about 30 centimeters apart until they got to the outer doors, then it was a packed line with people touching each other. And when I went to McD's to grab a quick coffee, every other table had a sticker asking people not to use that table, so kids took those chairs and turned their tables from a four-person table to one with eight or more kids crowded around it, playing on a switch or taking selfies and using Line chat. Lots of lip-service social distancing.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

To the commentators saying Japanese numbers are low because Japanese people already wear (mostly paper/foam) face masks and don't touch eachother, how can you explain medical professionals wearing gloves and properly fitted masks catching COVID19?

Um, because real world and how viruses work maybe?

Try talking to an epidemiologist. They have the very clear answer to your question above.

But maybe trying to make sure you know the answers to your questions before asking them, unless it's an honest question to learn information. Because when you ask a loaded question, that accidentally exposes your lack of understanding of what you're talking about, it detracts from your entire post.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Honest question: Can someone explain why people are social distancing while waiting for registers in a store but walking around the store touching the same objects and standing next to eachother is okay?

Yes:

1) The more social distancing people do, the less the virus can propagate. This isn't a binary situation where it's exposed/not exposed, it's a viral load situation. The less overall interactions we have as a society, the less the virus propagates.

It's not like the second there is one interaction between people, it's game over. The goal is to reduce the speed at which the virus propagates, so that the medical systems will not become overloaded.

2) The scientists have started coming to the conclusion from the evidence provided that coronavirus is not easy to transfer through surfaces. It's primarily air-born.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

So how do you explain the low death rate in Japan Smith?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@agentx Agreed. I’m from the US and I was at the beach this weekend. And I actually overheard one guy saying, “it’s good to see a lot of people here at the beach“, wish there was.

So even here in the US, attitudes are shifting.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Let the econemy open but keep them damn school closed. Are you trying to kill my KIDS you Japanese samurai govt??? Halt ALL school! NOw! Children is our future not the eldergly. Why let children die from corona virus??? Doesnt make sense to open up school .

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Are you trying to kill my KIDS you Japanese samurai govt??? Halt ALL school! NOw! Children is our future not the eldergly. Why let children die from corona virus??? 

How many children have died in Japan from the virus?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Let’s cut to the chase shall we. When can we go clubbing again?

Safely? Probably sometime on 2021.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Monty

"But let me tell you in what I believeAnd that is my personal experience in my every day life here in Japan:

The japanese citizens do everything they personally can do to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing masks, using hand sterilizer everywhere, and keep social distance as much as possible, many companies changed to telework, in many departement stores and restaurants they check my fever before I can go in...and so on.

In that, I do believe and trust!"

And let me tell you MY observations:

Little or no social distancing in shops, while walking around (and very short spacing between customers while queueing).

My Japanese flatmate, who has type-2 diabetes, having to go to work (as his company refused to allow office staff to work from home).

Many people, in groups, using my local park, during the SOE.

My school, which has taken some (good) measures for reopening, still limiting children to a distance of at least 50cm between each other, and having to sit kids 2-4 on each table, due to a lack of space and tables, etc.

Many people walking around my job, in public, etc without wearing facemasks or other PPE.

Japanese men but washing their hands at public toilets.

A distinct lack of testing for Covid 19 and/or transparency over death rates (for all cases, Covid 19, or otherwise).

People at bars and restaurants, sitting close to each other in the last few days.

Packed, rush hour commuter trains and stations.

etc.
1 ( +4 / -3 )

@Strangerland

"To the commentators saying Japanese numbers are low because Japanese people already wear (mostly paper/foam) face masks and don't touch eachother, how can you explain medical professionals wearing gloves and properly fitted masks catching COVID19?"

> Um, because real world and how viruses work maybe? Try talking to an epidemiologist. They have the very clear answer to your question above. But maybe trying to make sure you know the answers to your questions before asking them, unless it's an honest question to learn information. Because when you ask a loaded question, that accidentally exposes your lack of understanding of what you're talking about, it detracts from your entire post."

Incorrect:

~

"...The coronavirus can live for hours to days on surfaces like countertops and doorknobs. How long it survives depends on the material the surface is made from...

~ Metal Examples: doorknobs, jewelry, silverware 5 days

~ Wood Examples: furniture, decking 4 days

~ Plastics Examples: milk containers and detergent bottles, subway and bus seats, backpacks, elevator buttons 2 to 3 days

~ Stainless steel Examples: refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles 2 to 3 days

~ Cardboard Examples: shipping boxes 24 hours

~ Copper Examples: pennies, teakettles, cookware 4 hours

~ Aluminum Examples: soda cans, tinfoil, water bottles 2 to 8 hours 

~ Glass Examples: drinking glasses, measuring cups, mirrors, windows Up to 5 days

~ Ceramics Examples: dishes, pottery, mugs 5 days

~ Paper Examples: mail, newspaper The length of time varies. Some strains of coronavirus live for only a few minutes on paper, while others live for up to 5 days..."

(Source: - https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces )

~

"We can pick up Covid-19 by touching surfaces contaminated with the new coronavirus, but it is now becoming clear just how long the virus can survive outside the human body in the air, on objects and fabrics...

...It is worth noting that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), touching a surface or object contaminated with the virus and then touching one's own face "is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads". In May, the CDC updated its guidance to say that Covid-19 spreads "very easily" from person to person through contaminated droplets produced by others as they talk, cough, sneeze and breath.

> Even so, the CDC, the World Health Organization and others health authorities, have emphasised that both washing one's hands and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily are key in preventing Covid-19's spread. The CDC's latest guidance for how schools, restaurants and other public places can start to reopen details the need for intensified cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces such as playground equipment, door handles, bathroom taps and drinking fountains.

> It also admits that scientists are still learning about exactly how the virus spreads. So, although we still don't know exactly how many cases are being caused directly by contaminated surfaces, experts advise exercising caution...

> ...The findings suggest the virus might last this long on door handles, plastic-coated or laminated worktops and other hard surfaces. Another more recent study released in May by microbiologists in Beijing, China, found that Sars-CoV-2 could survive and remain infectious on smooth surfaces including plastic, stainless steel, glass, ceramics and latex gloves for up to seven days. They found they could not obtain infectious viral particles from cotton clothing after four days and that no virus could be obtained from paper surface after five days..."

(Source: - https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200317-covid-19-how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces )

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Paul - this describes exactly what I mean, case in point. This is the problem - people thinking they know enough to make inferences. The current CDC comments on this:

The coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from one person to another, typically through droplets when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks at close range — even if that person is not showing symptoms.

The website also says that people can become infected by “touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.” But those are “not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nishimura said many of the new infections were contracted at hospitals

Seems to me they should just shut down all the hospitals. LOL!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why? Because the first SOE was such a success?

Still no form for the stimulus payout

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Still no form for the stimulus payout

Yeah, well I got the form and turned it in and I am not richer for it. By the time I get the money (and everyone else too) it will probably have enough value to buy a doughnut.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

marcelito: "LOL...there is a lot of nonsense of Japanese TV but this takes the cake....amazing!"

No kidding. Here's one YouTube video that emphasizes it, so to speak. One thing you should note is that they say English, Italian, and Chinese uses "b" and "p" sounds (implying Japanese does not).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on-q8SL-5mw

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Of course, it's all about the "uniqueness" of the Japanese culture, etc. etc.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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