Tokyo reports 8,461 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 53,587

I really don't see that happening here. Even with packed trains all the way through the pandemic the situation didn't even come close to what SK and Ger. has had.

Well of course not. Korea and Germany actually test, aren't ashamed to test, and aren't ashamed to report high infection numbers to the world.

Unlike our dearest Japanese hosts.

So South Korea has just had a daily record of 621,000 cases and Japan has just 60,000 or so?

Really?

Someone is telling porkies here.

Luckily such disgusting behaviour from government matters little cos the virus is little more than an inconvenience for 99.6% of those infected.

"The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday reported 8,461 new coronavirus cases, down 1,760 from Wednesday."

When pressed by reporters if the official numbers were a true reflection of the actual numbers, the government officials simply lowered their heads.

Lift all quarantine requirements on residents.

Re: ozellis: the virus is "super easy, barely an inconvenience!"...

Another increase in new cases. So there’s still hundreds of thousands of people currently infected yet the wannabe scientists are still claiming it’s over … nothing to see here…. Open up what isn’t even closed . And lift those draconian restrictions that don’t exist either. No mask ? Your choice as always. Pass on the vaccines despite omicron being the deadliest variant of Covid in Japan to date? Also your choice . As for me , I am still shocked at the utter disregard for others health or their claim (trolling) to be anti everything related to Covid. In my tiny prefecture of Fukushima, specifically my city of Iwaki , there are currently 26 symptomatic cases in children admitted to the hospital. As a parent and educator, I really wish the minority of people would join the overwhelming majority and take this virus seriously once and for all.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths reported nationwide was 171.

Still too high

What is the purpose of testing if 99.99999% of the population has no symptoms?

But that isn't the point. The purpose of mass testing is to gain insight into trends, to give scientists data to work with.

It isn't going to happen here, though. I've no idea why, but I suspect that it may be down to not losing face and appearing as an infected nation to the outside world.

Continuing to trend down. Quasi-measures coming off next week. All signs point to the resumption of a full reopening of the border by summer.

If this decision is delayed beyond June or July, and there is no new catastrophic variant in the works, Japan's discrimination towards foreigners will be on display clearer than ever. The scientific argument doesn't hold water any longer. The pressure needs to be put on.

Data came directly from nurses at the 2 big hospitals…..

There is no “down trend.” We’re stuck on a plateau. Quasi - measures and border control are 2 completely different things and one does not dictate the other. Border controls have to do with infection rates from each individual other country . However, I do agree there needs to be more sensible rules implemented for entry . As for all these horrible draconian measures we’ve been forced to follow (there are none) need an extreme makeover. Case numbers are flat. Children are still leading the daily surge in new cases., and a tiny minority of so called educated adults still won’t join the majority and get vaccinated . Still think everything is just perfect.

For me,Omicron was little more than a sore throat and a mild cough-completely over it in a week.

Now I don’t need to worry about the variants according to the WHO.

Silly quasi soe coming to an end soon. I was at a reception in Tokyo last night with over 200 people. Food and drink served. It’s time to get back to normal and it IS happening.

Can't find Hiroshima on the nation wide list recently.

MountainVPNMar. 17  06:56 pm JST

Well of course not. Korea and Germany actually test, aren't ashamed to test, and aren't ashamed to report high infection numbers to the world.

What is the purpose of testing if 99.99999% of the population has no symptoms?

are the 300,000 fellow Tokyoites who have been infected within the past month, included or excluded in your obviously validated statistics?

People with underlying conditions, exposure to higher levels of pollution than usual or 80 years plus might want to still be concerned but the majority should not…