Tokyo reports 633 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 2,673

More important than simply checking the numbers is checking the presence of new variants. I hope this is being done systematically, but I doubt it. Maybe they'll start doing that 'as early as' next year.

For the last 3 days...today is highest amount of tests, lowest amount of new cases...

Just to say it...

The numbers keep falling but the doom and gloom types here refuse to accept it. Japan has not done a perfect job of containing the virus but they have not done all that badly.

Active cases have fallen by around 20000 over the last couple of weeks, as recoveries outpace new infections by some margin.

Still 633 cases too many. National figures are missing from this article.

I think it's easy to come to the conclusion from this that the current decline of cases is simply the result of the declining number of tests, 

but I thought the gov was lying about the number of infections? Now you’re saying the gov is simply not testing people?

This is really not surprising, as the virus will not just disappear because of some feeble measures.

these feeble measures are almost the same measures they implemented last year, which saw a drastic drop in number of infections. Did you believe it then?

The level of freedom in Japan really stands out during this horrible pandemic. It is such a comfortable country to live in. Great to see the numbers falling in Tokyo.

The government allows the people to make their own decisions on how to behave. There will always be a small percentage who ignore the advice of experts. Most of us are prudent.

This people and their obsession with test numbers!

Does reality matter?

If the infection was as bad as some people like to say on here, it doesn't show in the number of dead. A certain percentage of people die if they get infected, in Japan that number has been low.... Meaning the infection rate is correct! Doesn't come out of thin air.

Japan was the 2nd country to be hit, oldest population on Earth. Most dense population and city on Earth.

-Yet we don't see the death rate get out of control like we do in America and other countries. Facts should matter.

There is a virus pandemic, data is manipulated in Japan and low numbers only prepare its citizens for higher numbers later in the week. We are being conditioned to live with this carrot and stick mentality.

Wow, some people just can’t be pleased,

not enough tests

The government is doctoring the numbers

posts that are anywhere near positive, are downvoted

The demographics for testing have been changed which is why the cases appear to be decreasing. You just have to check any Japanese language social media to see none of the natives are having any of this BS either.

This people and their obsession with test numbers!

Does reality matter?

Public health experts have repeatedly expressed that yes, they are important.

The disease do not become an uncontrollable problem from one day to another, the disease spreads and involves more people in a relatively predictable way, and to follow this it is necessary to test a lot of people, including not only everybody that could be suspected of being infected (also those with faint symptoms or limited exposure to confirmed positives) but also those at high risk of infection because of lots of contact with other people.

The more you test the easier it gets to get a clear picture of the current situation, the other option is just wait until you get full hospitals and people dying in their homes without access to proper care to realize you are having a huge problem, but by that time there is very little to do to solve the situation so it is understandable that people prefer to know about it more opportunely.

Not to forget, that many people from risk or higher age groups or those more affected by that virus already have developed visible symptoms during the last one year or have died, so they usually don’t count again , even if the virus load is multiplied in every future wave.

@Sven Asai Today 08:05 pm

Not to forget, that many people from risk or higher age groups or those more affected by that virus already have developed visible symptoms during the last one year or have died, so they usually don’t count again ,

f*ck! that are really harsh words.

not exactly what i like to read before going to bed.

it's been a long year, you're right.

Ah seems to be getting better, hopefully we'll see big reductions as well in number of deaths in a few days