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Tokyo reports 1,219 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 4,876

37 Comments

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Monday reported 1,219 new cases of the coronavirus, down 275 from Sunday.

The number is the result of 9,628 tests conducted on Jan 8. The tally brought Tokyo's cumulative total to 76,163.

By age group, the most number of cases were people in their 20s (356), followed by 204 in their 30s, 183 in their 40s, 177 in their 50s, 75 in their 60s and 58 in their 70s. Also, 109 cases were younger than 20 (37 younger than 10), health officials said.

The number of infected people hospitalized with severe symptoms in Tokyo is 131, up three from Sunday, health officials said.

Nationwide, the number of reported cases was 4,876. After Tokyo, the prefectures with the most cases were Kanagawa (695), Osaka (481), Saitama (347), Chiba (340), Fukuoka (212), Aichi (198), Hyogo (154), Kyoto (142), Hokkaido (135), Tochigi (106), Nagano (73), Ibaraki (67), Hiroshima (59), Kumamoto (53), Shizuoka (53) and Gifu (50).

Forty-eight coronavirus-related deaths were reported.

© Japan Today

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37 Comments
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Again, slightly encouraging.

BUT, next three days' figures will be skewed by being measure over the three day weekend.

AND, I did not like the youngsters' celebrating the coming-of-age day holiday in close groups speaking loudly...augurs badly.

9 ( +20 / -11 )

Please let’s stay SAFE.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Again, slightly encouraging.

Last Monday: 884

This Monday: 1,219

38% increase, even though today is national holiday, when numbers are lower.

4 ( +15 / -11 )

I find it astonishing the number of people who call for complete shut downs.

It's proven they do not work.

The WHO even says they aren't a good idea.

People have to work to survive and provide for themselves or their families. I would love to work remotely and would have no issue doing so. But sometimes your employer can't do it or won't allow it. It sucks but that's reality. Some jobs require the person to be there. People can't afford not to work.

Japanese government is doing nothing to help promote and incentivize remote work. So until that happens, we can't just "shut it down". Unless you want the economy to tank beyond repair.

Part of me wonders if the people calling for complete lockdowns actually work real jobs. Or understand how economics works. Yes the virus sucks but the world cannot shut down completely for this virus. Especially if lockdowns prove to be more harm than help.

So downvote all you want, but you got to understand how reality works.

-9 ( +18 / -27 )

*38% increase**, even though today is national holiday, when numbers are lower.*

The number is the result of tests carried out on the 8th. Tests carried out today (which may indeed be lower) won’t show until the 14th or so.

Results from the weekend, though, with Coming of Age going on all over the country, will likely be up.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

@Hubert Gulletchip

I find it astonishing the number of people who call for complete shut downs.

It's proven they do not work.

Yes that explains why New Zealand is corona virus free. except at the border.

If Japan had stuck with a lockdown earlier and longer at the start of Covid-19 and kept control of the border then we would be in the same condition. Japanese people followed the protocols closely early on and we nearly had it under control in early May but they stopped the lockdown 2 -3 weeks early if we had held on till community transmissions stopped perhaps the situation would be different than it is now.

If we lock down now we know one month isn't long enough.

-6 ( +14 / -20 )

@AG

Read carefully! Today's JT numbers are for testing FRIDAY January 8.

The encouraging thing is down over the last few days which shows a decline over last week's weekday test results...

Hence the rest of my comment.

For as long as I can remember, this website uses testing figures from three days' previously.

Surely all posters know this, or at least READ the article?

Today is a Public Holiday, so numbers lower this coming Thursday on JT?

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

That is how the government releases the numbers.

Some people believe that a full shutdown in Japan would be the most effective way to combat the coronavirus, but unfortunately the Japanese law makes it impossible to impose a forced lockdown. "Japan law puts emphasize on protecting personal rights" In other words a full lockdown is impossible. So a governor can ask for " no more than a voluntary restraint. " Unfortunately as far as passing a new law. Well, they are not rushing that. So that's the way it is for now.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

Further to Tokyo-m's comment, it would be good for someone like that Asian Boss vlogger to ask ordinary Japanese people what they think a "state of emergency" actually is and what is happening in other countries. Other countries rarely appear on Japanese news, so most Japanese people will have no idea about other ways of doing things. Without this information, people are left thinking a State of Emergency must mean shorter hours for bars and could not possibly mean anything else.

Its probably too much to ask, but it would also be nice to have a health system that worked on rotas and didn't have large parts that follow other businesses in closing on the weekend and the excessive number of national holidays. In other countries, people take time off when they arrange it, not when the calendar says so. The pandemic does not care about the calendar.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

I have not found food stores an issue. Mostly old people that do not bar hop, and salarymen do not food shop.

tests conducted on Jan 8.....READ before commenting.

My beef is still with the panting running brushing up against you as they pass you panting. Disgusting and selfish.

-12 ( +6 / -18 )

Saitama my son’s school closed due to infections, wife work bunches of people infected. And 500 or so they say in saitama, it’s much higher if it’s all around you!

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

@Tokyo-M

You can do delivery order.

There are many available in Japan.

You don't need to go to Supermarket if you feel uncomfortable there.

-15 ( +4 / -19 )

@hubert

i upvoted you

@james

Apples & oranges - lockdown may work in NZ with a population of 5 million, but it ain’t gonna work in a country of 125 million

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

I can’t believe they haven’t started rolling out the vaccine.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

@Zoroto

I haven't been to the supermarket since last March, and not planning on going back even if the pandemic is over.

Wow Man, first point is understandable for me...

But you really will not go again to Supermarket even the Pandemic is over?

May I ask you why?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Just been to the supermarket..... still no one-way system, still no social distancing in the aisles, still no limit on the numbers allowed to enter at any one time, still people walking around with noses sticking out above their masks, or chin masks, still customers picking up and putting down items over and over and over again, still people using cash to pay, still people disregarding social distancing in every area of the shop (bar the till). Until people learn to change their behavour, numbers will keep going up.

In Germany & in Europe generally, all these rules are implemented: contactless payments, markings on the floor for distancing while lining up, partially having limits on the number of people in the store at the same time. And yet the numbers are still going up.

I really doubt that people are catching coronavirus in the supermarket. I would guess that main vectors (in Europe, where bars & restaurants are closed) are the workplace and private gatherings, as well as (in Japan) bars & restaurants.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

@zoroto

Because it's a waste of my time. I can tell Amazon Prime to deliver between 8-10pm when I am already home .

Hmmm...I see...alright.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Just been to the supermarket..... still no one-way system, still no social distancing in the aisles, still no limit on the numbers allowed to enter at any one time, still people walking around with noses sticking out above their masks, or chin masks, still customers picking up and putting down items over and over and over again, still people using cash to pay, still people disregarding social distancing in every area of the shop (bar the till). Until people learn to change their behavour, numbers will keep going up.

Yeah, but we stand 2m apart at the cashier, so it's all fine.

(You are absolutely correct - the whole approach to this is farcical and in many situations absolutely meaningless.)

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thank you Suga-san! We are defeating coronavirus under your leadership!

a very "reckless" thing to say.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Reckless

More nonsense. All is hidden there.

Then why do they take the pains to mass test when all they need to do doctor the numbers, what u are saying doesn't make any sense.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It's proven they do not work

But what is the definition of “does not work”? If it’s eradicating the virus, then sure, it doesn’t work. If it’s slowing the spread, then can you be so sure it doesn’t work? I don’t think hard lockdowns are the right solution. At the same time, I’d like people’s to recognise shades of grey rather than only seeing black or white. There’s no good “answer” here, but I’m convinced both black and white answers are the worst choices.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Tokyo-m: "Until people learn to change their behavour, numbers will keep going up."

That's why it's only going to get worse. There's a myth here that Japanese have a "mindo" and normally abide by social rules and regulations, which is why the numbers are lower than that of other countries. We know that to be hogwash, of course, and while SK has once again slightly plateaued, Japan's rate is not only sky-rocketing, but they are only getting together to discuss possible solutions to the inability to form panels. They simply have no leadership here. The State of Emergency? What's changed? Nothing... and no suggestions are obligatory, and the whole "we obey naturally" is utter BS. They tend to see that as a group, but individually they say, "Well, it'll be a lot less crowded now because people are staying home, so I can go out," and you get places as crowded or more crowded than usual. I can't tell you how often I hear, "I know I shouldn't have gone, but I went to Narita Shrine for New Year's... it was packed!" or, "I'll just stay 'home' this weekend and go to Starbucks and shopping," etc.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Fewer tests but a higher rate of infection. 9628 tests yielded 1219 cases. How many tests last Monday?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Fewer people on the streets today in Ginza, but it was certainly Colder... so that may explain it a bit.

A lot of restaurants are clearly going to go bust with these new restrictions, which is sad.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Good to see the numbers falling.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Forty-eight coronavirus-related deaths were reported.

Still high

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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