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Officials in Tokyo alarmed at lack of sense of crisis as virus cases hit record highs

136 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

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The virus is now spreading uncontrollably in Tokyo. Don't get sick for any reason requiring hospitalization as there wont be any bed for you.

5000/day next week is a certainty.

27 ( +42 / -15 )

Cries of "we never thought this would happen" were heard echoing around the Kasumigaseki area, quickly followed by cries of "be quiet, the reporters will hear you".

36 ( +44 / -8 )

self-isolating at designated hotels

This is a bad decision, because it breaks the so-called bubble. This is a recipe for having the virus spread from athletes to hotel personnel then to the public.

Instead they should have reserved a wing in the Olympic village for isolating those athletes, inside the same bubble.

This shows that organizer while somewhat caring about athletes don't care about Japanese residents at all.

24 ( +33 / -9 )

Crisis what crisis? The j “government” let’s in 100,000 people and holds the olympics during a pandemic. Of course the ordinary people don’t have a sense of crisis.

71 ( +77 / -6 )

All things pointing to a more chaotic response from the so called leaders who are supposed to take charge, be visible, show a clear path of next steps, communicate to residents to calm their anxieties but alas - this is Japan....

As the report says -

“We have never experienced the expansion of the infections of this magnitude,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters

So without a manual and steps to look at to follow no one knows what to do - so they will keep repeating the same Emergency ON/OFF routine and hope for the best!!!!

28 ( +32 / -4 )

The lack of sense is holding Olympics during this crisis.

Bad signal from government, no need to blame the population.

46 ( +50 / -4 )

We have never experienced the expansion of the infections of this magnitude,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters

yes, but you saw many other countries did, so what plans have you developed?

39 ( +40 / -1 )

Gov Yuriko Koike urged the organizers to make sure not to burden Tokyo's hospitals.

How exactly do the organizers not send sick people to the hospital…?

38 ( +39 / -1 )

At 3,865 I blame J gov and media before the people. This was so obviously the result of inept government

38 ( +41 / -3 )

Experts say Tokyo’s surge is being propelled by the delta variant of the virus and there is no evidence of the disease being transmitted from Olympic participants to the general public.

This might be true, but its also pretty obvious that the Olympics play a huge role in explaining why people aren't taking things seriously and why the virus is spreading so fast as a result. The government can't tell them its perfectly safe to have a sporting event with 100,000 people from overseas invited in without even requiring them to be vaccinated on the one hand, and then tell them the situation is so dangerous that they shouldn't go shopping on the other. The mixed messaging makes no sense and its no wonder the government has lost credibility on this issue at exactly the time it needs it the most.

This is the "Olympics wave" and I'm really mad that my family and I are now trapped in the middle of it thanks to every idiot involved in inflicting those stupid games on us.

39 ( +44 / -5 )

The writing was on the wall for awhile. Countries with more vaccine percentage than Japan are experiencing an increase so what made Japan think that they would be special? The government is using last year's control protocols for a virus that has since gone through several variations and is way behind the game. But then hey, let's all celebrate the gold medals as the ICUs fill up. We knew it was coming to this so now while all the world's press is here in Tokyo, they can see first hand what is going on here.

30 ( +31 / -1 )

It was repeated over and over again. LDP fans said we were doing it. The realists said this was the calm before the storm and Japan would be no exception to the foreign policy. And it's slowly picking up, the infection rate curve so far looks the same as elsewhere. Yes, the numbers are different, but that's another matter entirely.

And lack of sense? Then look closely - Olympics.

Most citizens just blindly and dumbly obey whatever edict comes down from above. And they are unable to do without it themselves. Without any decree they do nothing.

26 ( +27 / -1 )

Alarmed by the surge in Tokyo, the governors of three neighboring prefectures -- Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama -- said they plan to ask Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to place their areas under the state of emergency too.

You know, because their so called State of Emergency has worked greatly in the past.

People are tired of this nonsense and will not comply anymore (good on them), unless they change the constitution to allow the restriction of civil liberties which is almost impossible to do.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

No it's the officials not alarmed and their lack of sense of crisis.

22 ( +24 / -2 )

A bit late for feeling alarmed. It’s been said and predicted for several months, what happens if nothing at all is done or not some adequate countermeasures installed.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

Why don't they hold an international sports event and invite 80,000 proper from all over the world to enter the country with no quarantine, no requirement to be vaccination, no real containment on where they are going and what to do, Divert medical resource for that. Undertest and cover up the situation prior to the event so it doesn't look so bad to hold i, and then ask everyone to stay home and worry about the virus whilst the event is happenin, blatantly messaging the opposite message. Surely that can help the situation they are now so suddenly alarmed about! Oh right that is exactly what they doing and what a surprise it is not helping!

28 ( +29 / -1 )

Sense of crisis? That’s utter nonsense - you politicians only care about the Olympics. What do you think another SOE is going to achieve? Alarmed now are we? Wait until Obon!!! Rumours are going around they will pull the plug on the Paralympics as they can’t get these numbers under control!

30 ( +31 / -1 )

Gov Yuriko Koike urged the organizers to make sure not to burden Tokyo's hospitals.

It seem every Japanese government official wants to shift the blame to someone other than themselves. The rise in Tokyo numbers is mainly attributed to the extremely slow rollout of the vaccinations and now supply shortage. Plus, the meaningless state of emergency guidelines. Did she really think closing restaurants one hour earlier would really decease the numbers?

36 ( +36 / -0 )

Well the only real bubble is the one Japanese voters have lived in for over 70 years, now that’s burst, let’s see what they do…..oh

23 ( +23 / -0 )

Why be surprised? The government pushed the Olympics down the people's throats, and then out of the other side of their mouths, told them to stay home and take precautions against the virus!

The people are fed up with the hypocrisy!

39 ( +40 / -1 )

Why aren't the Japanese government bringing in laws to force people to get off the streets? With rates rising like this you need an enforced lockdown, not politely requesting people to stay home.

-10 ( +11 / -21 )

Thank the government for the "lack of sense of crisis".

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Tokyo officials said Thursday that two foreign Olympic athletes are currently hospitalized and 38 others are self-isolating at designated hotels in the city. Gov Yuriko Koike urged the organizers to make sure not to burden Tokyo's hospitals.

Now it's time for the people to really get ticked off! Bach and the JOIC promised the people of Japan that there would be no problems!

If even a single Japanese citizen is refused care because of these athletes taking priority, the IOC and Japanese government owe the entire country an apology and compensation as well!

23 ( +25 / -2 )

The gov deserves these numbers, especially mid olympics.

If the numbers stayed the same throughout the olympics they would claim how well they did and give each other bonuses, now they have to face up to a very different reality.

The Olympic hangover is going to be a big one.

23 ( +24 / -1 )

They are 'alarmed " at the public's lack of a sense of crisis?

I guess the public do not pay regular taxes to a nation state government whose primary job it is to ensure the public safety in a crisis.

The LDP; the laziest, most stingy government in existence.

20 ( +20 / -0 )

I remember learning the Japanese expression 危機管理能力 : crisis management ability.

Japan and Tokyo are currently heading for a spectacular flunk of that one.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

People are still roaming the streets despite stay-at-home requests, making the measures largely ineffective at a time the more infectious delta strain is spreading, he said.

Well to be fair, they are watching people in Tokyo on telly wrestling on the deck, celebrating with hugs etc,

It tends not to send out the message you want to get across.

Have a word with Suga, Doc. See what he thinks.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

“We have tried everything we can to stop this!” proclaims government that has done very little.

27 ( +27 / -0 )

We have tried everything we can to stop this!” proclaims government that has done very little

You do have a knack of hitting the nail on the head with few words.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

We are watching Olympics.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

In another breaking news on Yahoo Japan - our dynamic leader Suga has said that he is considering extending emergency for Tokyo and Okinawa beyond 22 Aug - he has to show to the public that how proactive and decisive he is right?

Link below for the article -

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c7ca9c24341ad690ba5830a0dfe8da3a367b1392

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Japan breaking records on the daily!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

It would be absolutely appalling if they forced the everyday people to burden themselves, whilst elite athletes and select politicians get to have a massive party. Let's to forget that these sportspeople only represent a fraction of sports players worldwide - no cricketers are present for example, and only the elite turn up.

These games are a complete shambles and embarrassment for the country. And now they want to shift the burden (financially and socially) onto the general public. The Olympics should not be held whilst the general public can't even go out for a meal and drink, let alone party.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Did she really think closing restaurants one hour earlier would really decease the numbers?

It has been frequently mentioned, the virus in Japan does not work overtime unless approved by bucho by hanko, and then faxed to head office HR.

19 ( +20 / -1 )

Love the photo of the article. A building with an izakaya, 3 floors of pachiko and slot machines, 2 floors of dude only saunas, and to top it all off karaoke.

You win money in the slots, get drunk at the izakaya, go to karaoke, then go to the sauna, they probably have a rest area where you can sleep, and wake up in the morning stand in line at the pachinko and do it all over again.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

People are still roaming the streets despite stay-at-home requests

What a hell is he talking about this idiot? The government can’t request people to stay home while at the time hosting the Olympics. That’s just not going to work.

And that’s enough with this panicking and fear mongering narrative. This does not enter the hears of people anymore. He can’t bring the medical system being in strain BS anymore after more than a year and a half of covid. At some point the actors in the medical system and the government has to take their responsibilities instead of always blaming people and particularly the young crowd who for good reason feel less concerned. After a chaotic start of the vaccination, the only thing he should do is keep his mouth shut and bare his responsibilities.

There are still hundred of thousand of vulnerable people in Tokyo who are more than 65 years old and not fully vaccinated. Instead of fear mongering and population blaming, he should make sure to do his job for once.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

In another breaking news on Yahoo Japan - our dynamic leader Suga has said that he is considering extending emergency for Tokyo and Okinawa beyond 22 Aug

Well he can go and for unlawful carnal knowledge himself. I've taken that week off and I'm planning on heading out to the inaka to get away from the insanity for a while.

If he reimposes the, what is it now, sixth? seventh? SOE, I'll just ignore it completely.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

The fact that Tokyo had a record 3865 coronavirus cases simply means that number of people tested positive for the PCR test. Testing positive and getting infected are two different things, I would like to know how many of those tested positive have developed any symptoms.

-8 ( +7 / -15 )

Why would people have a feeling of crisis when Government is celebrating safe Olympics and counting medals?

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Dumb, old aged, out of touch politicians shocked that their dumb actions for 2 years of a pandemic hasn't worked. If only I could have said I told you so, but they are so dumb they probably dont even speak english.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

So many of you are speaking like the Japanese nationals would be naive children, or somehow otherwise incapable of making their own decisions, and acting on their own, just waiting for instructions. We are speaking of adults however, and despite the serious situation, the people are in the shopping malls, the restaurants, the gatherings. More and more people are without their masks. The lack of self-restraint, responsibility for ones own actions & critical thinking is imo frankly rather appalling. Where I’m from, most people avoided crowds & gatherings even without orders from the government. You can be responsible even without orders or laws.

Yes, the government has done miserably. But if your boss is awful at his job, does it mean you can do your job badly as well? I think in that situation you should actually try to be even better.

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

Inept and disgusting Government.

My wife is permanant part time...Full time staff with the same duties were vaccinated by her company, part time and permanent part time workers were not. She still has to wait 3 weeks for the City to vaccinate her, so we decided today she will quit rather than risk her health.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

Our ancestors would be ashamed at the lack of virility of the masses today.

Our ancestors presumably survived the bubonic plague which swept Europe and Asia in the 14th century killing between - according to Wikipedia - 30 to 60 per cent of the population of Europe.

I'd like to think we've gotten a little smarter since then, but looking around I have my doubts.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Japan has kept its cases and deaths lower than many other countries

Again with this propaganda?

I thought JT is aimed mainly to the expat community in Japan and from where I come from back in western Europe now we all know that Japan numbers can’t be trusted due to the very low testing and also a very low vaccination.

So no dear JT Japan is not a role model for us.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

So many of you are speaking like the Japanese nationals would be naive children, or somehow otherwise incapable of making their own decisions, and acting on their own, just waiting for instructions. We are speaking of adults however, and despite the serious situation, the people are in the shopping malls, the restaurants, the gatherings. More and more people are without their masks. The lack of self-restraint, responsibility for ones own actions & critical thinking is imo frankly rather appalling. Where I’m from, most people avoided crowds & gatherings even without orders from the government. You can be responsible even without orders or laws.

Yes, the government has done miserably. But if your boss is awful at his job, does it mean you can do your job badly as well? I think in that situation you should actually try to be even better.

The government hasn't done a great job, yet the Japanese people (and non-Japanese residents) have contained the virus until now. Still you somehow find reason to bash Japanese people.

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

OMG!!! This made me laugh out loud!

“officials surprised at lack of sense of crisis”

What crisis?! The government doesn’t believe it’s a crisis , sooooo…. Why surprised.

There is no crisis! The Japanese government have been saying this since the beginning!

There is no crisis! Only the loss of cash is a crisis in Japan! The country which values money over lives!!!

There is no crisis!!!!

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Is it going to be another one of those state of emergencies, or an actual one?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The people have spoken, this is democracy.

It was always going to end this way. The public should be applauded for waiting until the elderly have been vaccinated before letting numbers get this high.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Well, it seems that after having the band continue playing on the upper decks to entertain the plebs, the captain and crew seem to get a little bit worried about the water reaching their kneecaps...

No worries mate, Bach has a Gulfstream idling with the Champaign chilled and the money bags stowed. The Captain will be long gone before the ship slides to Davy Jones Locker.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I think this is a good wakeup call anyway. If the government and people get alarmed while deaths are still low, this may convince more people they need to get vaccinated. They need to make the vaccinations easier to reserve, though. I had to keep checking several times a day for a week and finally got one for next week.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Is it going to be another one of those state of emergencies, or an actual one?

Do you even need to ask? This is the 4th one already, and see how that has worked out?

Experts here in Japan, warned the government about this coming, at least 6 months ago, and look how their advice was taken.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Officials in Tokyo alarmed at lack of sense of crisis

Idiots.

From whom?

The public or the inept government themselves?

Well, let's see.............you fools run a worldwide olympics without properly distributing the vaccine........for starters.

The list could go on and on.

This redundant broken record has become tiresome for everyone.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

They need to make the vaccinations easier to reserve, though. 

You're not British, are you? If not, you have absolutely nailed our knack for understatement.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Bach has a Gulfstream idling with the Champaign chilled and the money bags stowed.

I don't know what the German word is for "suckers" but I bet if we had a secret mic on Bach we'd have learned it by now through force of repetition.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

People in Tokyo alarmed at lack of sense of crisis as the government, Suga, Koike et al assured everyone all was well and went ahead with the Olympics.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the meetings.

Koike: "What can we do? The numbers are going crazy, and yet people are still going out, and acting like it's OUR fault!"

Suga: "Have we won any golds in the last couple of hours?"

Kono: "Nope. The Chinese are starting to overtake us in the medal table"

Suga: "Hmm. Can we, like, arrange a flash flood somewhere?"

Koike: "I don't think that's scientifically feasible"

Mori: "Be quiet, woman"

Koike: "Sorry"

Mori: "Anyway, look. Tell them that recent scientific research has discovered that Japanese people get over Covid faster than anyone else because their DNA is special"

Suga: "Is it?!"

Mori: "Course not. But they'll buy it for a few days until we can work out our next move".

Kono: "You're brilliant, Mori-san. Please be our Supreme Honorary Adviser"

Mori: "Ten million a day and you got a deal"

(All bow. Meeting adjourned).

21 ( +21 / -0 )

Imagine going to a hospital and asking for a PCR test only to be refused!

Well, that happened to me in Japan and I could clearly see that the system

was broken.

Subsequent government actions impacted my income sonI left.

I’m back in the UK and fully vaccinated with proof and able to travel and wearing masks is no longer necessary here as cases of Covid are falling.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue," he said.

Liar

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Queue the "quasi" state of emergency ?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Testing positive and getting infected are two different things, I would like to know how many of those tested positive have developed any symptoms.

Since it appears you need to have pretty clear symptoms before a doctor Is allowed to authorize a test, I’d say the answer would be, almost all of them. A small percentage who pay out of their own pocket may have no symptoms.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Don't be alarmed, we have everything under control. We have your best interests at heart and will take absolute care of you. No need to worry, it will all be fine - safe and secure.

What? Why is no one alarmed?!?!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the meetings.

Koike: "What can we do? The numbers are going crazy, and yet people are still going out, and acting like it's OUR fault!"

Suga: "Have we won any golds in the last couple of hours?"

Kono: "Nope. The Chinese are starting to overtake us in the medal table"

Suga: "Hmm. Can we, like, arrange a flash flood somewhere?"

Koike: "I don't think that's scientifically feasible"

Mori: "Be quiet, woman"

Koike: "Sorry"

Mori: "Anyway, look. Tell them that recent scientific research has discovered that Japanese people get over Covid faster than anyone else because their DNA is special"

Suga: "Is it?!"

Mori: "Course not. But they'll buy it for a few days until we can work out our next move".

Kono: "You're brilliant, Mori-san. Please be our Supreme Honorary Adviser"

Mori: "Ten million a day and you got a deal"

(All bow. Meeting adjourned).

I don't know how long this will stay up, but you get a tip of the hat from me. Unusually creative for a JT post.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

In any other country, people would have demonstrated against such an incompetent government.

I don't understand why the japanese up with it.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Seriously they act as if they didn't see this coming?!

They spent over a year telling everyone how special the Japanese are and how hygienic, healthy, etc ..and the virus wants a real problem.

Restricted testing much of the time and especially before the Olympics to keep the number of cases low, and now they act surprised.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

@Michael O’ Dereiter

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the meetings

My adult beverage is now spewed all over my computer screen. Best post of the day!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Mori: "Be quiet, woman"

Haha. Comedy gold.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Oh and as I mentioned on another article.

I left my house about b1 hour ago to buy food.

As I was on my way to the supermarket I passed the local Temple having a street Matsuri.

The road is closed off the police are present along with the standard rental security guards.

Seems our Tokyo ward hasn't gotten the SOE memo.

Stared at 14:00 going until 10:00 and yes there is alcohol because right on that Street there is a famous discount alcohol chain store.

So plenty of people standing around buying food from the yatais and drinking.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Numbers skyrocketing, alarms ringing, the first comments of ‘the health system is under stress’ etc etc… So what are they going to do about it??

It seems - nothing.

Its not as if we haven’t seen this play out in other countries either. We’ve got 18 months of evidence of what’s probably going to happen next. Has the Japanese government learned anything from that, or is it just going to let the case numbers keep rising, and wait for the health system to become overwhelmed before ‘acting’?

Start. Locking. Places. Down. Now.

‘…but the constitution doesn’t allow that…’

Pass an emergency amendment or something. Do something.

If the majority of these record cases are the Delta variant, it’s going to get a whole lot worse very quickly.

Oh and Japanese government - don’t you dare claim nobody told you this was going to happen.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@Michael O’ Dereiter

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the meetings

My adult beverage is now spewed all over my computer screen. Best post of the day!

I can't take credit for that, I was quoting the original poster ("Some Dude").

It is pretty witty though.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I’m alarmed that they’re alarmed!!!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

@Reckless

Thanks for the tip. Had a friend tip me off on me onto the Rakuten option already, but unfortunately it seems nothing available there either anymore... very frustrating.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There is no State of Emergency. Commuter trains are still packed and the Olympic Bubble is non-existent. Athletes and their squad will (ahem) socialise. That's what they do.

I am sick of restaurants having to close at 8 when the hordes of commuters are still expected to troop onto packed trains twice a day.

This super-spreader was a mathematical certainty.

Only a government entirely out of touch with reality, having sold its soul to the IOC, could even dare to profess alarm at this late stage, when theinevitable results of their inadequacy come to fruition.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Taro Kono, said in an interview with The Associated Press

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue," he said.

Well, you better start getting worried because this crap is getting serious! And by the way there is no way to prove that it isn't spreading from Olympic participants to the general public either!!!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

We have Olympics glory In Tokyo. The Japan medal count increases, softball wins over U.S. and baseball is winning.

Thank you to Mr. Bach for your sacrifices and hard work. Our sacrifices is worth it in Japan to have great summer games.

Again, everyone please stay home and watch games. Now I watch swimMing with Asahi beer in my home and no risk to me or others.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

Well when the Japanese government decides to let throngs of people from all corners of the globe in for the Olympics....

Also, it's now the FOURTH SoE. People are resigned to the fact that this is their new normal. Any sense of urgency and panic has long since passed. You can only ask people to voluntarily comply for so long. Compassion fatigue has set in.

If the government really wanted to get a handle on this situation they would have rewritten the constitution to allow for stricter lockdown measures back during the first SoE. Now, vaccines are running low and people are still commuting to work in horribly packed trains. What did they expect exactly?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

""Lack of sense""

We the people has GIVEN UP on this government Lack Of Sense.

It took 20 months of playing around with vaccines that has already been tested and approved by the major medical authorities around the world but yet Japan wants to do it's own so called testing which turned out to be a HOAX.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Schools have just closed, so now you have kids bringing it home to their parents, while everyone sits around in the same room with the a/c going, spreading around an airborne virus. That could be happening in the senior centers tio. Could be that. Or, just the Japanese letting their guard down.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Testing positive and getting infected are two different things

Someone else was sleeping in class at school, I see. The world can only wonder what your point was, but while we're here, controlling the spread means a combination of actions:

Getting a high percentage of the whole population vaccinated. Not just specific slices of it.

Having booster shots ready, as and when needed.

Having an efficient, free system for testing, tracing, isolation

Enough hospital beds and staff available to treat Covid patients and people with other health problems

In the meantime, everyone, vaccinated or not, needs to work together to

-Keep social distance; work or study from homw

-Avoid enclosed, crowded settings

-Wear masks, to protect themselves and to protect each other, whether they are vaccinated or not. Vaccinated people can catch it and spread, even if there is a lower likelihood, and they are highly protected against serious illness and death.

Societies that can do this, and keep it up, probably with government support to help people to self-isolate when needed, are going to be the first to keep outbreaks under control and get back towards a normal life fastest.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

So this is what I can piece together. from several different news papers I read from around the world and from this article.

TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - A member of the Ugandan Olympic team who tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival in Japan had the Delta variant, Japan's Olympics minister said on Friday, adding to concern the Games - less than a month away - may trigger a new wave of infections

So if it is the delta variant of covid sweeping Japan should we suspect Uganda?

(NHK world -Japan) Japanese researchers estimate that more than 30 percent of the coronavirus infections in Tokyo and its surrounding areas are caused by the highly contagious Delta variant.

Hmm could this be a possible link to the olympics?

Japan's vaccine minister, Taro Kono, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that there is no evidence of the coronavirus spreading from Olympic participants to the general public

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue," he said.

Somebody is either a liar or totally out of touch with the day to day happenings in Japan and should resign immediately.

Tokyo officials said Thursday that two foreign Olympic athletes are currently hospitalized and 38 others are self-isolating at designated hotels in the city.

(Japan Today) The total number of Covid-19 infections linked to the event is now at 193, according to the Tokyo Olympic organising committee.

(Stuff NZ) The majority of Olympics cases reported by the committee have been “Games-concerned personnel” and contractors. However, 11 infected members of the media have also been included in the list, as well as 20 athletes.

Seems to me to be a few more than none and we aren't even at the end of week one yet still 3 more days to go.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

lol it's absolutely insane that there's people on here in July of 2021 still calling for a full lockdown or shutting down public transportation. The only thing that's going to bring the numbers down is ramping up vaccinations.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

they want to cool down and chill out.

See how some people don't know much.

Alcohol is the last thing one should be drinking to cool down or to hydrate as is has the opposite effect it dehydrates.

Ah the uneducated.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

I wonder how much drinking and ignoring reality leads to divorce.

Just asking.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Just want to say that the Olympics isn't your cause of the dramatic rise in COVID cases in Japan. Twenty-some cases of COVID per day among Olympics-related personnel is not causing 10,000+ cases across Japan.

Its most likely being caused by people packing in the some 20-30% of restaurants that disregard the 8pm closing time. Caused by young people roaming around in groups at night with no masks or masks on the chin. Caused by everyone filling the trains to go to work. Caused by Japanese government too lame and scared to make tough rules or even enforce their own guidelines.

Of course, increase in Delta variant makes the same social behaviors more much likely to cause COVID. And, I will skip totally failed glacially slow vaccine program as cause, because we all know about that.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

She also urged those below 64, who are largely unvaccinated, to get their shots as soon as their turn comes.

Then supply the vaccines you are hoarding and allow people below age of 64 to make appointments!!

My ward's appointment system remain suspended, and even those who was able to make appointments before the early July suspension, the appointments were for late September.

It is just pure propaganda to tell people to get vaccines, when you provide ZERO access to it. In fact, ward officials have said that it would be difficult to vaccinate new people even by December.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

If wearing those stupid, flimsy little masks did any good there would be zero infections in Japan.

Well, this is just stupid logic. Lets see what other conclusions we can reach with it just for fun, shall we?

Hey if wearing seat belts did any good there would be zero traffic deaths! Screw seat belts!

Hey if not licking toilet seats at gas stations did any good there would be zero cases of whatever disease that puts you at risk of. Lick away!

9 ( +12 / -3 )

“Meanwhile....

After getting my golden ticket about a month ago and getting all excited to get vaccinated, it quickly turned to disappointment to learn that the ticket was not enough. I still had to wait for my age group to be eligible. Then finally my turn came this week! But then, now that I'm eligible, of course there are no spots available! I have clicked on every venue top to bottom on the Line account and zip, nada, nothing! This is right through September! The gall of the government to blame young people and encourage them to get vaccinated... vaccinated with what?? I'm in my 40s, ready and waiting. J-gov, get your act together” and stop blaming the public.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

I am not surprise. The heat make wearing mask unbearable at this time of the year. It feel like suffocation when just walking down the road. And all that sweat.

Then you mixed it with the constant rains too that get everyone wet. You add both of these and unvaccinated working adults,then what you get is just cluster of rising infections. Workers are not that willing to report themselves because they are afraid of losing their work and enter isolation for weeks. Most probably think they can endure it and could cause super spreaders.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Don't be alarmed, get vaccinating!

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Only had 18 months to change the laws & enforce a hard lockdown…

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I've heard that Japan was not doing so many tests, and how this positively impacted to avoid collective fear. People in Japan were just not talking about it, and it had been a good thing for general mental health....

Now, I wonder if after the Olympics begun, Japan just started doing more tests, and these numbers are just a false positive... With more tests being applied, you will likely have more positives.

And I hope the japanese people deal better with misinformation, fake news, collective fear, paranoid ideas, than other countries in the globe did.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Only had 18 months to change the laws & enforce a hard lockdown…

You’re not getting any hard lockdown. The people won’t tolerate it.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

People around the world are no longer abiding by any social distancing or mask wearing mandates or rules. After over a year of this, they need to start living their lives again. One cannot restrict people forever.

3 ( +15 / -12 )

It is important to remember that delta variant of Covid-19 is much more infectious than the prior strains. Even without the Olympic event visitors, the infection rate should be expected to have had a significant increase.

I'm surprised that Japan didn't push for vaccinations.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue," he said.

I knew this would happen, as soon as the olympics started cases would get out of hand but they would deny as much as they can publicly that it’s in any way related to the olympics.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

People are alarmed with the capacity the J-gov has to mess up things big time then look around and blame its own people.

I was lucky to leave Japan early this year. Here in Germany, just in the main street of my small city, there are over 10 different places for FREE corona tests to anyone, just scan the QR code once and you are good to do it again.

Just in my workplace, we can test 2 a day if we want to do it so.

And as for vaccine, a month ago, we had our shots without even having to get in a line or much questioning.

The conona crisis and the Olympics have shown to the world (and hopefully to the Japanese people) that this country is a big liar, governed by a corrupt mafia.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sadly, the govt. (so I believe) has in the constitution that it can't order a lockdown, only a state of emergency, which clearly isn't working.

I am from South Australia, living here now, and although compared to other major countries the figures here in Japan are pretty low, however, in the last few days those figures have been rising rapidly.

I am a statistics man and have been keeping records almost from the day it came to Japan. And since it started, let me show you my figures, (taken from TV or newspapers), compared to those taken just in this month.

Japan cases overall. 904,036, cases this month 103,089 = 11.04%

Tokyo cases overall. 210,610, cases this month 36,716 = 17.43%

Japan cases overall 904,036. Tokyo cases overall 210,610 = 23.30%

Finally, yesterday the 29th was the worst day on record since the pandemic started.

Japan - 10,699 cases, Tokyo - 3,865 cases = 36.12%

Come on Tokyo residents. Lift your game, and let's do our bit to kerb this pandemic.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Lay the blame where it belongs, on the government. The government insisted Japan was safe, was far too slow vaccinating people and sent the wrong message to the people by holding the Olympics and allowing many people in to country who were not vaccinated or properly quarantined for two weeks.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Now that you’ve panicked everyone, there’s a clear math error in that all important fourth paragraph. The 7 day rolling average in Japan would need to exceed 35,000 to hit 28 per 100,000. The premise that case counts in Japan are higher than the US is patently false. The opposite is true.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Whereas in the past I always thought that the Japanese were very good when it came to wearing masks, I took the dog for a walk in a local park this morning and less than ten percent (I gave up counting after a while so I cannot give an exact figure) of the people who passed close by me were not wearing masks or were not covering their nose with them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@rainydayJuly 29 05:10 pm JST

The government can't tell them its perfectly safe to have a sporting event with 100,000 people from overseas invited in without even requiring them to be vaccinated on the one hand, and then tell them the situation is so dangerous that they shouldn't go shopping on the other.

This analogy is faulty. Suppose your family isn't earning enough to eat decently. However, your family is in debt and ultimately your parents choose to repay the debt (having extended payment by one year already) rather than be found in default, over concentrating on feeding the family. Are you going to reason that's an excuse for you to splurge on a PS5?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let the young Japanese build their own herd immunity and stop panicking, they will protect us like a wall, every single new variant appears to be less deadly than the previous one, as they will get some, they will develop proper antibodies, a mix of all variants and will be less and less sensitive, stronger and stronger. every single new case is bringing us closer, if you feel for your own situation because you are unhealthy or with some comorbidities and worry to develop the severe version, get your vaccine.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

umbrella:

Crisis what crisis? The j “government” let’s in 100,000 people and holds the olympics during a pandemic. Of course the ordinary people don’t have a sense of crisis.

People do not have a sense of crisis because people know a simple fact surrounding them that people are no longer getting seriously ill or dying due to the virus. They regard it just like normal influenza. They feel safe and they are right. The number of deaths by the virus keeps going down and now it has become same as common influenza (0.96 person a day). The number of infections has become useless number. You can ignore it.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

"Japanese officials sounded the alarm Thursday as Tokyo reported record-breaking coronavirus cases for the third straight day with the Olympics well underway."

You are the fools in charge, you are responsible for this

0 ( +0 / -0 )

FTguy17

Great post, goo, constructive comments. Keep healthy, don’t get too stressed and take precautions, such as mask wearing.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Kondo: "I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue,"

Shouldn't that be:

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. However it is an issue of concern that we're keeping a close eye on."

?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Last Wednesday rode the train on Keihin tohoku line around 7 PM or so, and it was PACKED, they we running fewer trains and waiting a bit longer to fill the trains up before departing, shoulder on shoulder breathing on each others neck, like a club scene of a 2000's R&B music video.

What sense of crisis?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

*were

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Are these people insane? They've had us under various S.O.E for 18 months, yet done nothing to curb us being crammed into packed commuter trains and trapped in densely packed classrooms. And they went ahead with the Olympics! How could anybody still believe that these politicians care one jot about ordinary people, so why should ordinary people keep supporting their incompetence? Furthermore, they have absolutely screwed up the vaccination process. I got my vouchers back on July 21st. Have been applying just to get an appointment ever since. They can say and do what they like I am going to completely ignore their requests and do what I want from now on.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

'Crisis fatigue' Soon they'll just be walking around mumbling and staring into space...and then there is the coming Fall 'flu' season and countries start to crumble into masses of crazed Humans and 2020 will look like the good times...and then our 'experts' will tell us it's better to be unvaccinated and virus free than vaccinated and carrying a load of both brands...and America will get its apparent wish with China...our crops will fail...How many Horsemen is that...who is left? Oh yeah, Death! By then, we may welcome that last one...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Going on almost two years now, people have developed an immunity to constant fear mongering and government alarmists.

It is getting to the point where government agencies , who have a long record of pushing information and later contradicting it, are mostly ignored.

Here in the USA, we have local governments issuing State of Emergency edicts over weather reports that later prove false.

Part of the blame, of course, is the attention seeking media that sensationalized everything in a quest for ratings.

It is no wonder that people have turned deaf ears to this crisis.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The top people are not serious, how can anyone expect the bottom to be serious???.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan's vaccine minister, Taro Kono, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that there is no evidence of the coronavirus spreading from Olympic participants to the general public.

"I don't think there have been any cases related to the Olympic Games. So we aren't worried about that issue," he said.

Now Kono joins Suga with another "I don't think" statement.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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