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© Thomson Reuters 2020.Tokyo may pay restaurants, bars to shorten hours in August amid spike in virus cases
By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Mari Saito TOKYO©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
65 Comments
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h0nz4
I've never quite understood how exactly is supposed shortening of hours help? Is it just that less people will get to go these establishments?
dan
all bizarre in Japan!
who advises the government on COVID19 a bunch of clowns or something ?
Go to Coronavirus campaign basically.
Ridiculous timing by a ridiculous government...They couldn't organize a knees up in a brewery! Woeful!
Monty
I think shortening hours can help to prevent the spread of the Virus.
Normally people go to Izakaya around 5pm or 6 pm, eating and drinking.
After that around 9pm or 10pm, they go to Karaoke or Girls Bars.
And Karaoke and Girls Bars are a very very high risk to catch the virus, right?
But if these establishments are closed already or will close within the next 30 minutes, people will go home after the Izakaya, instead to Karaoke or Girls Bars.
It can work to help to prevent the spread of the virus.
Monty
@Reckless
Probably for you and me, no difference.
You drink faster and I go already at 8pm to the Girls Bar.
But in generall, shortening hours can work.
Mirai Hayashi
This is so stupid! Why should I have to pay to have bars stay in business?? If they can't operate and keep their customers safe, then they should just close! Yes, bars may go out of business, but the industry will survive!
Cricky
Shut them already.
Monty
I read another news today that already 40000 people lost their jobs because of the Corona Virus.
Can you guys imagine what will happen if you shut down all these places?
Oxycodin
This virus has gone out everyones control. You can try to defeat it but we wont win unless docotors find medical treatment and a vacine. They probably will never be able to find a vacine for this then what? Natural selection will takes it course and the strongest will live on?
kazetsukai
Makes no sense. Is Tokyo legislators trying to buy future votes?
The responsibility is with the "customers" to control themsleves and NOT for government to subsidize businesses for what they would have lost anyway if the people stayed away. That is business for everyone, not just those attract night life.
Government is NOT the source for bail out used as "bribes" to close a business. If people do not come, business will close. That is exactly what is happening all over the world.
nonu6976
so Koike expects bars, whose main income in many cases is dependent on the 9pm-2am crowd, to close 10pm every day for all of August, and for that, they get a one time payment of only 200k?
vanityofvanities
I cannot think of any good solution to float economy and hold down COVID-19 at the same time. Perhaps time solves the problem.
Fiddlers
Offering 200,000 is not enough to compensate bars to close early for a month. Also people complaining about bars and restaurants getting support from the government don't understand how much tax they pay, people they employ and suppliers they support. Lastly very easy to say lock down when your company pays you to stay home and watch Netflix.
carpslidy
letsberealisticToday 04:51 pm JST
New zealand is a small country, with a low population density.that is now a hermit state.
Until yesterday you could have said why doesn't the world follow Iwate.
Monty
@Reckless
The same enviroment is inside mine and millions of other japanese.
Therefore the spread of the virus in Japan is not such a big problem like in other countries.
Monty
@Reckless
I forgot an important word...
The same enviroment is inside mine and millions of other japanese body!
Therefore the spread of the virus in Japan is not such a big problem like in other countries.
smithinjapan
Only in Japan do they green light a massive travel campaign in the midst of a pandemic, and then double down by saying it is just impossible to change the dates because they have been set.
smithinjapan
And here's a wild idea... instead of paying establishments and SUGGESTING they close, why not just impose another emergency declaration and then pay them assistance money for closing? Makes no sense to say they don't have the money for assistance if you close, then saying they'll pay you to close.
nonu6976
@carpslidy
if by hermit state you mean NZ doesn't currently let in any tourists, yes you are right, just as Japan currently doesn't as well as many other countries. Oh, NZ also let's foreign residents return unlike some.
nonu6976
@smithjapan
I think the assistance money would be far greater than a one time 200k payment.
carpslidy
nonu6976Today 05:34 pm JST
@carpslidy
You forgot to mention nz requires all arrivals to be locked in a hotel for 14 days, is going to start charging all 3000nzd for this and is limiting arrival numbers (nz residents included)
Speed
The govt. should've promoted a travel within your own prefecture campaign. That way they could've promoted businesses in all areas of Japan with people from within their own areas. 30-50% off if you could prove you were traveling within your own prefecture. Could've called it Home is Where the Heart Is campaign or something.
Blacklabel
not sure how closing at 10pm will really help, except maybe to restrict the host/hostess clubs. But those type of places likely wont comply anyway.
Patricia Yarrow
Speed, You have a great idea there. Too bad it was not chosen. Maybe later.
Goodlucktoyou
Crowd more people in the smallest area for the shortest time. e=mc2
nonu6976
@carpslidy
yes, the 14 days in a hotel is called quarantine, or shall all arrivals just be allowed to roam freely straight out of the airport? As they don't have unlimited quarantine hotels avaliable, they need to cap arrivals until free rooms are available - it's called common sense. NZ is probably the only 1st world country in the world which has packed bars/restaurants/sports stadiums/theaters/music venues, because community transmission has been eliminated. Not bad for a "hermit" country.
noriahojanen
Just for technicality for financial support to affected businesses/individuals, I think it would be faster and more efficient to suspend levying taxes for now (for another fiscal year?), rather than to provide monetary support. The latter has already suffered several mishaps such as delaying processes and crowded applicants (could become a virus hot spot). Handling is costly due to insufficient social ID or digital services. The government came under criticism when they commissioned logistical work to Dentsu, via another "go-between agent" with kickbacks deduced from public money during the process.
Tax reduction is simple, near automatic with no need of handling agency, no need of application/verification. Applicants wouldn't have to fill out many forms (still paperwork!). Not to mention people under affected areas need a quick support to sustain their business and livelihood.
Mr Kipling
How about paying me NOT to go to bars and pubs?
BFPF1159
Monty.
You go to girls bars? Are you seriously having to pay a girl to talk to you? That’s really really sad.
ArtistAtLarge
I like the way you think, Mr. Kipling!
Tobias J Gibson
To be honest, I don't think New Zealand is so fundamentally different to Japan. Sure there is a vast population difference, but almost half of New Zealand's population lives in a single city. Its not as dense as Tokyo, but its certainly more dense than the circumstances the majority of Japanese live in outside the super cities. Furthermore, both are island nations with the capacity to secure their borders. Both economies are primarily consumption and service based, with a large tourism sectors (proportionally) and export industries largely centered around a major product (cars and dairy constitute around 20% of the economy for Japan and New Zealand, respectively). Both have relatively moderate populations which are generally amenable to government.
Furthermore, in terms of economic impact of these countries covid19 responses, both are looking at around the same effect on GDP:
New Zealand's estimated economic impact is a 7.2% shrink in GDP.
https://www.nordeatrade.com/fi/explore-new-market/new-zealand/economical-context
Japan's estimated economic impact is a 7% shrink in GDP.
https://www.jcer.or.jp/english/the-japanese-economy-will-contract-by-7-in-fy2020-even-with-gradual-resumption-of-economic-activity
Personally, I feel that Japan could have followed a New Zealand model successfully. The previous state of emergency did help to suppress the virus, and although New Zealand was capable of enforcing a lockdown, I feel that had the government here advocated for a succint and focussed plan, people would have complied and we may very well be another success story.
Some might say "Japan is a success story, look at the death rate". However a low death rate is only positive if the is some gain. Given that it doesnt appear that Japan is making any real economic gain from this strategy, largely because consumer confidence and consumption has bottomed out. New Zealand may not be better off economically (although it is already predicted to have a quick turn around), but it has no deaths now, and no cases. And they aren't closing bars early. So I dunno, its all academic now, but I cant sit here and argue its all sunshine
Monty
@bfpf1159
You go to girls bars? Are you seriously having to pay a girl to talk to you?
Yes
That’s really really sad.
No
But you know what is sad?
That you dont understand the spirit of these bars!
BertieWooster
Are they going to pay bars and restaurants to shorten their hours through Dentsu?
Monty
@Marcelito
You understand!
Thank you for reading and remember my posts.
But to be honest to you, before the cororona situation, I was a regular guest in a very nice Girls Bar.
藤原
I never lived in Kanto but and only visited there once. Only 200000 yen for an飲食店 for a month in Tokyo, whats that going to cover a small bill, and this goverment gave about 77 billion yen to dentsu!
drlucifer
What are you saying, didn't Abe talk about Japanese model, Aso about Japanese mindo and experts on TV talking how the virus was brought under control and only the Japanese were able to achieve such success without a Lockdown or fines.
Mark
This is what being selfishness "WAGAMAMA" look like.
In the name of reviving the economy Japan is ready to dump many seniors under the bus. While the youngsters in the nightlife districts are running around spreading the deadly virus, the government is paying to carry on with COVID - Mission.
Bjorn Tomention
Close the media , pachinko parlours and the govt that will stop the spread of the virus media and the B S
the rest of us can carry on with our disaffected lives now.
n1k1
I don't think it will help controlling the virus but I think giving money to struggling business is a good thing. Especially good when compared to dubious street mending projects.
Volker Ag
For 45 years, my Japanese wife has lived and worked with me (German) in more than 10 countries including Japan. For that I'm extremely grateful to her!
During these years, she was even given a German official passport since I was working for the German Foreign Office.
After retirement, we are presently living in Germany, my wife was immediately given permanent residency here, and a working permit, after we returned from my last post.
We pay taxes in Japan, half of our family lives there, yet we cannot return to Japan together without going through some processes that bear no logic, whatsoever.
Yes, countries have the right to determine who is entitled to enter their territory, but that does not make it right ...
carpslidy
@mark
You could equally argue young people are risking their health on a daily basis in trains, offices, bars and gyms to keep the economy alive.
Whatsnext
Tis is ridiculous. The numbers are going up because they changed the testing protocol. Young healthy people are fine. And if your old and unhealthy, try taking care of yourself better.
carpslidy
@mark
You could equally argue young people are risking their health on a daily basis in trains, offices, bars and gyms to keep the economy alive.
While selfish people like yourself complain when the get sick, spending the money and paying the taxes which go to fund pensions, health care and day care for the elderly.
Whatsnext
If youre a healthy child and live in Japan you have a 0% chance of dying.
If you are under 60 you have a 0.3% chance of death and lower good younger ages.
If you are in you sixties you have a 4% chance of dying. This does not take into account comorbilities which are not listed.
70s 13%
80s and above 30%
Enough with the bullying and let people decide if they want to participate in society. The planet earth is a dangerous place with all kinds of forms of death. It's a part of life. Let people live.
Did you know that hunger and famine around the world has been on the rise as well. This is due to punishing people for participating in the economy. The money doesn't flow and it doesn't get to the poorer people who need the work to eat. It's a shame people's OWN governments are punishing people who just want to work live and enjoy life.
Christopher Pelham
Plenty of young people have been dying in the USA, in smaller numbers percentage wise than older people to be sure, but young people do get seriously ill and do sometimes die. More concerning perhaps is that MANY people have lingering or permanent heart damage or other chronic conditions as a result of having become infected, whether they were sick enough to warrant hospitalization or not.
Three-Quarters of Recovered Coronavirus Patients Have Heart Damage Months Later, Study Finds
Of the 100 patients studied, 78 had lingering heart damage despite being “mostly healthy … prior to their illness”
https://apple.news/A1SRs04GcQ6eqCbRSwxqsbQ
carpslidy
nonu6976Today 06:11 pm JST
The best compassion to nz is Hokaido, one major city and a lot of small towns.
To date Hokaido has seen only a hundred deaths in spite of not closing themselves off from the rest of the country, not having a month plus lockdown, and not living in fear
just tonight5000 went to see nippon ham play.
So congratulations to nz for having no cases but you have to ask if their draconian measures were needed and have achieved much beyond what your low population density woul have already achieved.
and by having zero cases you have locked yourself into and out of the rest of the world waiting for a vaccine. Which as a small country you arent going to get in the first roll out .
TigersTokyoDome
Well, if there's any proof of fixed numbers. Thursday 30th Tokyo 367. Thursday 23rd Tokyo 366. Coincidence...
Strangerland
Dying from covid doesn't worry me so much. I've had a decent life, and I've made enough provisions that my family will be fine.
But after a life spent focusing on my health and exercise, it scares the hell out of me that I may survive covid and have to live with lung and heart problems for the rest of my life. The idea I may not be able to return to my active lifestyle for the rest of my life scares me more than death.
So I wear a mask, stay away from people as much as possible, and limit my entrance into high-risk areas (eg the supermarket) to the bare minimum. No movies, parties, or sporting events for me.
u_s__reamer
We must learn to live (not die) with the virus, so just "Lock 'em up"! (until a vaccine works and it goes away - eventually)
n1k1
Did you manage to figure out who from Germany did the studies ? Seems to me they just threw the country name there to improve credibility but forgot the details ..
Also do notice the amount of Advertisements surrounding the text in the link you posted. The whole site is full of sensational stories .
Tobias J Gibson
Both the studies are linked in the article itself:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768916
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768914
Tobias J Gibson
“On Sunday [June 14], 40,000-plus New Zealanders filled in the stands at Auckland's Eden Park for a game between the Auckland Blues and Wellington Hurricanes in the Super Rugby Aotearoa”:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/general/news/new-zealand-welcomes-back-rugby-with-packed-stadiums-after-country-eradicates-coronavirus/amp/
The population density in New Zealand is 18 per sq.Km (47 people per sq.mi). Roughly 86.9 % of the population is urban (4,191,405 people in 2020).
The population density in Brazil is 25 per sq.Km (66 people per sq.mi). 87.6 % of the population is urban (186,217,070 people in 2020).
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/
I think that population density is clearly not sufficient to eliminate the virus without additional government intervention.
Again, I am not sure how this differs from every other country with closed borders at this point? It is more likely that those countries without cases will resume trade and tourism with each other before those with cases. With regard to the distribution of the vaccine, you may be right. But at least they wont be burying grandparents while they wait.
n1k1
Even though, infections (many other too) have been recognized as significant causes of cardiac diseases for many decades now, this particular study results recommend further research needed.
BFPF1159
Monty.
i don’t understand the “spirit” of these bars?
what, the fact that these girls are paid to pretend to be interested in you and your life and just praise you while when you leave they slag you off and think you’re lame XD
sureeeeee have fun buddy!
Tobias J Gibson
I agree. In fact, given, as you state, that 'infections have been recognised as significant causes of cardiac diseases for many decades', I propose that while further research is being conducted into the long-term effects of a highly infectious, novel strain of virus, it would be a prudent public health and economic position to limit is spread amongst the population.
It would probably be both more ethical and ultimately less expensive than dealing with a generation shouldered with cardiac, respiratory or vascular complications from a pandemic event in their 20s.
mmwkdw
Forget the talk about "Let's Research that", etc.. leave that to later please, Just pay me the $ (or Yen) now in order to survive this enforced Government driven directive !