Call for shorter hours at Tokyo restaurants, bars takes effect

A pub near Ueno Station, a busy transport hub, said Saturday it will comply with the request. "The number of customers has begun to decline again due to the resurgence of infections," one of its employees said, adding, "The 400,000 yen support is not sufficient at all. We hope that infections will settle down soon."

Pretty much sums it up for everyone.

Jgov uses 'shorter hours at restaurants, bars, and clubs' ... It isn't very effective.

Hang in there owners.

The Japanese Government has found the sweetspot for 500 cases a day.

I think, after the 3 week period and this rate of testing shows a 'stabilization', and everyone feels normal at 500 a day, the next stage is to go back to 'normal' and then get prepared to accept the next step which will be 1000 cases a day.

Softly, softly.

If you can't go to a bar, go hang outside the combini or local park. Govt is making citizens into tramps.

The move comes as a blow to operators hoping for increased demand during the year-end party season and could derail the Japanese economy's nascent recovery.

Wouldn't public health be more important than economics? Sick people and sensible people would not go to bars during this pandemic anyway.

 the request to close by 10 p.m. through Dec 17. But some are undecided or will apparently refuse to do so

The Tokyo government has to stop requesting and make it law with severe penalties for those who ignore the restrictions. These wombats don’t seem to realize the quicker they control the spread of the virus the quicker they can return to normal treading. This virus is going to linger around in Tokyo for years.

@Goodlucktoyou

If you can't go to a bar, go hang outside the combini or local park.

I've been doing that for years

I feel sorry for the small businesses, family run outlets and independents who are struggling financially.

The bigger chains will cope.

But we have to keep the infection rates down until vaccines get a nationwide roll-out.

"Our sales had just started recovering. I can understand why the request was made but it is difficult to comply with it during the year's busiest season," said Jun Sagae, manager of a pub in Shimbashi, a popular eating area for office workers. The pub had followed two similar requests made earlier.

I find the quotes accompanying articles like this interesting. There is always understanding and resignation in them. Not: " The compensation is totally insufficient and coming at this time is basically a death sentence for my business. The government is doing a poor job of handling the impact of this pandemic and has to do more".

Get this city off the go spread it travel campaign!

This will not help to lower infection rates. But watch the numbers will magically return to the 200 confirmed range as according to some plan I bet

If I ran a bar and was making good money every night I would not comply with the totalitarian regime as there no proof that the restaurant and bars are at fault here...

Here are some sobering facts. In 2020, more than 17K people in Japan committed suicide, while fewer than 2,000 people in Japan have died of COVID-19. The shutdowns seem to be doing more harm than good. Food for thought.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/more-people-died-of-suicide-in-japan-in-one-month-than-the-entire-coronavirus-pandemic

@ crash test dummy

Suicide last year were over 20000 so there doesn't seem to be an increase.

@ good luck to you

Where did you get your statistics? They seem a bit excessive.

The bullies are out. And all these folks criticizing businesses that are not following this rule are probably not restaurant owners or any kind of business owners.

Keep the economy rolling. Statistically this is no worst than a bad pneumonia season. Tired of the world following China's orders.

Well it is only call.

But pile in before closing wall to wall is such a great idea.

Suicide last year were over 20000 so there doesn't seem to be an increase.

This is totally wrong, there is an increase, and actually an alarming one for women.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/11/11/national/japan-suicide-rise-coronavirus/

@daito hak

The increase from the previous years first ten months is 160. You're right it's trending up.

Surprised to see a significant number of downvotes for Elvis_is_here's comment about the importance of masks (and social distancing). I thought the debate about that was over, but it seems there are still a lot of ignorant, irresponsible people out there. No wonder Western countries are in such a mess.

The move comes as a blow to operators hoping for increased demand during the year-end party season and could derail the Japanese economy's nascent recovery.

I imagine most of the both blue-and white-collar workers and others having to wear masks will have literally stuffy year-end parties this year. :‑(