Suga to declare state of emergency for Tokyo, 3 neighboring prefectures on Thursday night until Feb 7

Encourage, ask, request...basically nothing changes then. Where will the government be in 2 weeks as the numbers keep spiking?

The fact that it takes almost a week to declare a SOE says everything. Looking forward to some urging tonight.

One thing changes - my income ! It drops dramatically

They should've just stayed the same, why wasting time and resources on something that's basically not enforceable?.

Friendly requests only that will be duly ignored as they should, what's the point of the SoE so many were craving for, if nothing will change?

Business "name and shame"? Like if kabuchicho, seedy izakayas or Filipino pubs cared about their reputation.

I'd like to see more emphasis on treatment and care of the sick and less on curtailing the lives of the healthy.

One thing changes - my income ! It drops dramatically

and people who cry about Tokyo not being locked down should donate part of their wealth to you because they obviously have no worries.

and people who cry about Tokyo not being locked down should donate part of their wealth to you because they obviously have no worries.

and people that think that SOE is too much should donate part of their income to those that get infected and those that die of covid19, after all your income seems to be more important than the lives of Japanese citizens

 and done by establishment size, and not just singling out night life and after 8pm activities.

and how do people isolate themselves in bars and clubs restaurants, how do they talk eat and drink with a mask on!?

Where is the vaccine?

Sooner the better for everyone!

@NOMINATION

and people who cry about Tokyo not being locked down should donate part of their wealth to you because they obviously have no worries.

Alot of these hole in the wall joints will make more getting paid by the government than they would being open for business.

The funny thing is, pre-covid the majority of small bars in Tokyo always only had only one or two customers in them anyway. 

My point!

and people that think that SOE is too much should donate part of their income to those that get infected and those that die of covid19, after all your income seems to be more important than the lives of Japanese citizens

Exactly!

That pesky virus, coming out at 20:01 at night time!

Why doesn't Suga ask them to come out later, say at 21:01, or even better at 22:01?

Why doesn't Suga ask them to come out later, say at 21:01, or even better at 22:01?

It Isn't about the virus it is so he can get one more meal at his favorite restaurant before making the announcement.

Over 2000 new cases in Tokyo has just flashed up on the TV.

Japan's had a good run of Covid-19 not really spreading despite government dithering, limited testing, few measures, and even sponsored holidays (!), but the doo-doo is now hitting the fan. Wash your hands, wear a mask, and "kokuminsei" alone are not cutting it. It's time for a much more serious approach.

Residents of the area covered by the state of emergency -- Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures -- will not be subject to a hard lockdown as some other countries have imposed.

That would be the countries that have reduced numbers of new cases to very single figures and cut community transmissions to near zero. Tokyo is really banking on the Olympics going ahead, but it’s not going to happen with 1500 new cases every day.

@wtfjapan

after all your income seems to be more important than the lives of Japanese citizens

Losing income will also destroy lives.

But I guess you are lucky or rich or whatever, and you don't need to worry about that.

Then it is easy to say SOE is good.

In my case I am also lucky, because I "have" to go to work every day, and schools stays open, so my wife will not lose income.

But I feel very very sorry for people who will lose jobs or income by this new SOE.

In my home country 2 of my friends lost their jobs. And they have wife and kids, and it is very very difficult situation for them. Especially if you don't know how to pay your rent or how to bring food on the table...and you have to explain that to your kids.

@tooheysnew

Cheer up, man!

The good times will come back again!

wife just sent me a message saying there are over 2000 cases in Tokyo today

Japan's had a good run of Covid-19 not really spreading despite government dithering, limited testing, few measures, and even sponsored holidays (!), but the doo-doo is now hitting the fan. Wash your hands, wear a mask, and "kokuminsei" alone are not cutting it. It's time for a much more serious approach.

I agree, but I doubt there will be a serious approach. Until the vaccine is available, it's up to us to protect ourselves and those around us at an individual level. Those in charge are hell-bent on saving 'the economy', which means large corporation and their stocks and, at this point, includes laughable attempts at saving the Olympics.

I hope those who have to commute manage somehow to stay safe and those who can work from home do. Also, I read about a proposal of giving up to 60,000 per day to eateries and izakayas that shorten their opening hours. It's great that the government is helping at least some of those who suffer financially, but a preventing a situation in which it was necessary would have been more sensible. Japan was among the first countries to report the virus, but is always behind in taking any measures. And even when it doesn't, it doesn't seem to get it right, like copying UK's catastrophic Eat Out to Help Out.

How about reducing the public transport system users? Nothing is gonna change when hundreds of thousands are riding packed buses and trains daily. Closing a couple of hours early will do very little. People will just go and drink earlier. People at work taking masks off, busy lunchtime restaurants, jam-packed trains - what’s the point of an SOE. We either go proper lockdown or just live with the virus. It’s so ちゅうとはんば. (Half-arsed)

Phew! Good to know absolutely nothing will be changing then!

Stick to the 3 Ws. Wear a mask.Wash your hands and Watch your distance. And wait.

The 4 Ws. Stick to the 4 Ws. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Watch your distance and Wait.

The 5 Ws. Stick to the 5 Ws. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Watch your distance. Wait, and Work from home.

The 6 Ws. Stick to the 6 Ws......

Cometh the hour, cometh the man! You've got this Suga sori!

Cometh the hour, cometh the man! You've got this Suga sori!

Is it possible to fax steaks?

We either go proper lockdown or just live with the virus. It’s so ちゅうとはんば. (Half-arsed)

You mean ちゅうとはんぱ?

Get rid of LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai first!

Go to home!

> The AvengerToday  03:23 pm JST

Get rid of LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai first!

Get rid of LDP full stop

My dog could do a better job than these morons.

The SoE worked last time to make a measurable significant impact so it can work again. The one draw back this time may be that the virus has been going around long enough where there may be "virus fatigue" or a sense of complacency.

If this is not done the required measures may be much worse.

Regardless of how we feel about this I would image we all would like the same outcome which is a reduction in new cases.

I am returning from a business trip in Nagano by train and the train is not at all crowded (much less than normal at this time of year). My client started the year with remote working unless personnel absolutely need to be at the factory right from the start of the year which is good.

Business "name and shame"? Like if kabuchicho, seedy izakayas or Filipino pubs cared about their reputation.

True. On the other hand, the government is now pressing for legislation that would actually start handing out some real punishments. If they are on the name and shame list, the government has IDed them, and will come after them once the law is promulgated.

So its fine to catch rush hour trains and dine in crowded places before 8pm then?

Its fine to push n shove with the masses in a panic at the local super when they all panic buying bog roll and bottled water and ramen noodles. Its fine to carry on all other things amongst the seething masses in this country while the govts are using this virus to slowly take away your basic human rights.

Line up in a orderly fashion and present your arm for the vaccine maxine.....................

I am returning from a business trip in Nagano by train and the train is not at all crowded (much less than normal at this time of year). My client started the year with remote working unless personnel absolutely need to be at the factory right from the start of the year which is good.

LMAO what a joke. Every train I've seen has been packed to the brim with only about a fifth of people wearing masks, and this has been the same since the start of 2020. Also well done in spreading the virus around the country and infecting your fellow countrymen. Let me guess, Japan has done the best job in the world in handling this virus due to its 'superior culture" right? ROFL

I hate to be negative but I don't think this state of emergency is going to stop infection numbers rising. It seems very weak with no teeth.

What happens if, on Feb 7, Tokyo is averaging 3,000 cases a day (and I fervently hope not)? Is there a plan B? A curfew perhaps? But that can't be legally be done. Like most people, I'm doing all I can to avoid being infected or infecting others (if I am asymptomatic). But I honestly don't know what more I can do and I know there are lot of people like me who are exasperated to see the numbers going up.

60000 yen a day support to eateries is much better than what was proposed before. Larger subsidies in other industries would definitely help since they can't order closures.

No pro-Olympic comments yet from Mayor Koike or PM Suga.

There must be a number of very worried people now.

What in the world! Hey Suga! I am from Germany and the "lockdown-lite" here didn't help at all!

@nomination

thankyou for your kind consideration

@wtfjapan

obviously you’ll still be on your full salary, so I expect your check is in the mail

Let's take the focus off Tokyo for a minute - You also need to look at the national number of cases, which today is a suspiciousy round 6,000 new cases.

If you look at Germany, which is usually cited as an example of a European country that has dealt "reasonably" well with the virus, back in summer, new cases were in the hundreds (fewer in the whole German population than in Tokyo alone now). At the start of October, the country reached the 1,500 mark again (similar to where Tokyo is now), and then the exponential growth took off. The "6000" mark that Japan is at nationwide now was reached a week after that 1,500 point, and from there the numbers kept on rising.

With the population density of Japan as it is, the danger of exponential growth beyond this point is even higher than Germany, and so expect to see nationwide numbers growing into the 20 and 30 thousands by mid February.

@nasakenai. The trains in/ from Nagano are nearly empty. For about an hour I had a car to myself

no I absolutely don’t think Japan is doing well dealing with this. See my other posts

The SoE should have been started about 2 weeks ago and the Olympics should be canceled

Look at the data from the last SoE. It worked. Mimic that and cases will decelerate

@Cleo

Kyoto zero tourists today

@zichi -

My friend who lives in Kyoto says he has been to places he has not visited in 10-15 years due to the lack of people. On the other hand businesses are having a rough time. I certainly do not think it is zero but it after Go to Travel was stopped it is pretty low.

@nasakenai.

about a fifth of people wearing masks

Do you even live in Japan? My experience is more than 90% are wearing masks. I used the Super Azusa today and on the Green Car I had the car to myself for more than an hour. People got on at Kofu and all but 1 person were wearing masks.

Also well done in spreading the virus around the country and infecting your fellow countrymen.

I am from the U.S. so it would be hard to infect Americans from Japan. Not sure what you do but I work and my business requires me to visit clients. I to not have a job where I am paid when I am not working.

If they don't control the virus spread in the coming months, they can definitely say goodbye to the Olympics

Maybe that's one good thing

@Zichi: I know from looking at my photos. There are either none or only a few people in them. Kids are far and few between. Did not see one foreign tourist without epicanthal eye folds, nor hear any other language except Japanese and with the distinct Kyoto accent.

Amazing time to travel. When we came down from Kanagawa on a Shinkansen Green Car, there were only three of us in the entire car. The other green car number nine had four people. Non green car number 10 had five people.

I see and watch things. Probably why I trip a lot as

I pay attention to things as any artist does but never look down enough.

Probably should not have said zero. Five max at any of our locations and none at many others. Three restaurants we went into...had three in the hotel breakfast venue and it was large, lunch had only us two and could have seated 16, and only us two for dinner...at Kyoto station. People are just not out.

We will go into hiding for a month after getting back, but have three eye operations coming up, so will practice following the requests as best as possible.

Be safe and keep painting