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Parents get virus jitters as their child-care leave nears end

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Sadly the half-arsed approach that the government has took and is taking now is making this an issue for everyone.

The government has to stop "urging" and start "ordering" people to stay home!

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Don’t worry, there are now manga-style ads about the coronavirus so Japanese people will be able to understand what is going on because reading like the rest of the adults in the world is difficult:

https://soranews24.com/2020/04/01/japan-releases-manga-style-coronavirus-ads/

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Pussyfooting is the word I'm looking for.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Don’t worry, there are now manga-style ads about the coronavirus

Japan is on a quest to turn everything in the world into a cute manga cartoon.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Japan is on a quest to turn everything in the world into a cute manga cartoon.

It speaks volumes about their level of intellectual sophistication.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

The government has to stop "urging" and start "ordering" people to stay home!

And perhaps not just on weekends. The virus also spreads from Monday to Friday!

11 ( +12 / -1 )

The virus also spreads from Monday to Friday!

No! Social distancing is for "after hours" and off days! The virus only spreads during those times!

Even government research here has been stating that the "new" cases are coming from people who went out to drink or karaoke, and went to places that were open all night!

This virus is a night time/off day thing!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

I have trouble believing they're actually going to reopen schools on the 6th. Look I'm as tired of the pandemic as anyone and my young daughter is as bored as she's ever been in her life, but if it's not safe then I don't know why we would take that risk... I'm sure almost all reasonable parents are thinking the same. I know that if they don't close the schools and parents choose to keep them home it will become a huge problem so the government needs to step up and keep them closed.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Please stop asking the government to control your lives

Nobody is.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

They just had a news conference by the governor and some mayors of our prefecture.

They had 3 of the mayors sitting on a tiny sofa shoulder to shoulder. The governor sat in a chair next to the sofa about a foot away.

The cameramen and their equipment were all crammed together in this tiny room to film the situation.

Then one mayor bowed, passed a set of documents/petition to the mayor that they all just hankoed and touched.

I don't think they understand the expression "lead by example".

Social distancing seems to be a little too hard for these bozos to understand and an awful demonstration to all that watched it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I have trouble believing they're actually going to reopen schools on the 6th.

This is Japan, believe it.

Look I'm as tired of the pandemic as anyone and my young daughter is as bored as she's ever been in her life, but if it's not safe then I don't know why we would take that risk... I'm sure almost all reasonable parents are thinking the same. I know that if they don't close the schools and parents choose to keep them home it will become a huge problem so the government needs to step up and keep them closed.

Then don’t let them go. Ultimately, you are the parent and as a parent you have the absolute right to protect your family, in this climate I would never allow my kids to go to school.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Being a tool and die business, it is slow this time of year and I have no problems giving my staff a month off with pay. Their health is more important to me. I have not been to restaurants with my family as we go out once per day to shop.

My son and daughters have become closer to us and each other. My wife and I have had some good time to get caught up and are closer.

My kids will not be going back to school until we know it is safe for them.

Be safe and do what you must to keep yourself and family healthy. Do not let society dictate against your need for safety.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

So far, nothing else left to say except that I agree with all of you. 100%

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Don't these people know the virus has agreed to stop spreading from the new fiscal year?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Just like the Olympics, the decision was shamelessly parked due to economic reasons. The government are calculating their losses and trying to choose the least worst case scenario based on losses financially. Tough choice for them, much easier if you realise that it is almost certain that if you don’t take the biggest loss by closing the schools, it’ll cost much more in the end due to court cases losing ¥100,000,000 per case.

Short term loss for long term gain should be the way of thinking. The short term loss is still very substantial though.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I mean that's easy to say, but if the rest of her classmates go back and I hold her back for however long the virus is spreading (a semester, a year??) she will undoubtedly be left behind a year. In Japan that type of record can really screw up your whole educational career. I don't want to send her back, I don't want anyone to send their kids back, but if they all go back, anyone choosing not to will be singled out and you know it. I can just see it now... my in laws constantly criticizing my husband and I for not doing whatever everyone else is doing... my daughter losing all of her friends... other parents spreading rumors about my daughter or someone in the family having the virus. If you don't foresee things like this happen you clearly don't spend enough time around Japanese families.

I don't want to send her back and push come to shove I probably won't, but it's not as simple as just saying I want to keep her home and then everyone agreeing with that decision. Unfortunately exercising any freedom of thought when it comes to how you want to raise your children isn't looked upon well in this country.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

When will the government come to the issue of day cares and after school care is the breeding ground and close them? Children get infected and go home and infect others. Children allowed to run around stores while their parent does everything, but control their childs behavior.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

COVID-19 can infect people of any age. Preliminary evidence shows that children are just as likely to become infected, but their symptoms tend to be less severe. If they become infected they can pass the virus on to other people they come into contact with.

Opening schools at this point is sheer lunacy, especially in hotspots like Hokkaido, Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Aichi, Osaka, and Hyogo.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Public schools to remain closed (which makes sense)

Private schools to open (which does not make sense).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I mean that's easy to say, but if the rest of her classmates go back and I hold her back for however long the virus is spreading (a semester, a year??) she will undoubtedly be left behind a year. 

They don't hold back students a year based on missed school. I know some kids here that didn't attend school for 2 years but they were still passed on to the next grade.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@DaDude

While I don't necessarily mean literally held back for a full year, one my best friend's twin son's were held back because they started school 4 months later than the rest of the kids their age (they were on US scheduling). It doesn't never happen.

Once you start elementary school here, you're really evaluated on the group level. You don't want to be left out of the group.

Regardless, I still assume they'll be holding back the start of the year until at least May. Especially with the clusters at Kyoto Uni. it would be irresponsible any other way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They can re-open the schools if they want on 6 April but my children won't be going back just yet.

I agree, the schools can do whatever they want, but as a parent we still have a choice and if more parents would do the same, the schools would definitely postpone re-opening.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

@chip star,

I think they are.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Please stop asking the government to control your lives.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

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