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Tourists in Japan cautious but upbeat amid virus outbreak

27 Comments
By Donican Lam

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As Japan deals with one of the worst outbreaks of a new coronavirus outside China, foreign tourists here remain largely confident -

With THE worst outbreaks outside of China! No need to sugar coat it! Say it straight! Crap is still crap, even if you cover it with chocolate!

3 ( +11 / -8 )

-- for the moment --

A trip booked well before the schemozel is not the same as future bookings.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This month tourist numbers are way down.

Those catering for the tourist trade dealing with the Chinese are not working....

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Japan has currently only banned entry of those who hold passports issued from China's Hubei or Zhejiang provinces, and foreign nationals who have visited the two provinces in the last 14 days.

Is there a way to confirm whether or not they've travelled to either of those provinces in the last 14 days? Perhaps passport stamp or the like? Or is it just taking their word?

It's Japan's greed for tourist dollars that'll allow the virus to get a foothold (if it does) here.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

But for the last month we've been reading that tourism is way down and it is affecting the economy.

Yet we are treated to this little piece of fluff courtesy of Kyodo. Boy the media spinners are working overtime to keep Abe-chan and his goons happy.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Well the US just issued a travel advisory for Japan and other countries might soon follow if more cases appear. Tourists , are you still upbeat? Geez...

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Boy the media spinners are working overtime to keep Abe-chan and his goons happy.

Right-wing activists were attacking Dr. Iwata on his youtube page yesterday, claiming he was a Chinese stooge and the like. Public Pacification Officers from the government, State Broadcaster and J.Pravda are going to be working overtime this week.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

There were over 70 confirmed cases in Japan as of Wednesday, the third highest number after China, where the virus originated, and Singapore.

We've far surpassed Singapore in the last 2 days. Japan now has 94 cases while Singapore has 85.

The huge shock was South Korea which literally spiked and is now at 104.

The figure does not include the 621 cases among passengers and crew aboard the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship quarantined until Wednesday in Yokohama, which the World Health Organization regards as having occurred on an "international conveyance."

Which is ridiculous as it should. The WHO is playing politics. On top of that, the japanese nationals who died are not listed as deaths in Japan inspite of them being Japanese nationals who died in Japanese waters in Japanese territory. They should be recognized and not ostracized in death. J-gov and WHO playing a very dirty political game.

Very embarrassing for me particularly, as my father, RIP, worked his whole life in WHO. I can tell you back then they had integrity.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Which is ridiculous as it should. The WHO is playing politics. On top of that, the japanese nationals who died are not listed as deaths in Japan inspite of them being Japanese nationals who died in Japanese waters in Japanese territory. They should be recognized and not ostracized in death. J-gov and WHO playing a very dirty political game.

Very embarrassing for me particularly, as my father, RIP, worked his whole life in WHO. I can tell you back then they had integrity.

That's shocking. Sadly, it's no surprise but it's shocking. I don't suppose we'll be hearing that tidbit from Kyodo or NHK, will we. RIP to your father.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

sample of 10 doesn't really qualify as good survey.

I know you are trying to calm people down, especially the tourist but its not working

I thought only Yakuzas fix numbers, not the government.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

People who believe the fake numbers out of Japanese government is going to pay for it.

Someone from WHO needs to come to Japan and inspect the hospitals!!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I think Japan is at risk for a large outbreak. Cast aside for a moment the emotional feelings about whether or not the quarantine incident on the ship was right or wrong and just look at the train in the morning for the morning commute. People in Japan live and move around in very close proximity which makes Japan a high risk area. Once a few cases get into the country it is very hard to control and people will move around Japan for business etc. I think it is wise for tourists to be cautious.

Singapore seems to be the "gold standard" for managing this (from what I have seen and what the Harvard study said)

I am not a fan of China's political system (CCP) and still have doubts about the reported numbers but one must really commend China for unilaterally stopping overseas Chinese tours.

I know not everyone has the ability to do so but (with the exception of the overseas trip) I have been walking to work to avoid the crowds. It adds 30 minutes each way to and from the office but I am away from crowds. Also I am getting a bit of extra exercise and have some time to ponder things while going to and from work. Probably something I will continue to do even after things eventually subside.

I hope this will subside soon.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Corona virus seems to be just another influenza. Its mortality rate is much lower than influenza but its infection is much stronger. Annual influenza kills about 2000-3000 people (mostly elderly) here in Japan but corona virus has killed not many people (maybe a little more) so far. When they are infected, then isolated for days and cured at hospital and go home. I don't worry much about it. I just wear mask and wash hands very often.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Right-wing activists were attacking Dr. Iwata on his youtube page yesterday, claiming he was a Chinese stooge and the like. Public Pacification Officers from the government, State Broadcaster and J.Pravda are going to be working overtime this week.

lol.....70 confirmed cases divided by 127 million. You do the math. :)

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

That's shocking. Sadly, it's no surprise but it's shocking. I don't suppose we'll be hearing that tidbit from Kyodo or NHK, will we.

Lol! Not in a million years!!

RIP to your father.

Thank you for your kind words brother!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

My wife last year was trying to get our family to go to USJ and I refused because of the huge amount of crowds there. Yesterday, I told my wife that we need to go to USJ now because it has been empty of late but she refused. Go figure!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

lol.....70 confirmed cases divided by 127 million. You do the math. :)

Why do maths in an outbreak? English comprehension is more appropriate.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/coronavirus-japan

Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

kwattToday  

Corona virus seems to be just another influenza

It is not like influenza, which is highly contagious only when people are symptomatic. With Covid-19 people are contagious long before they are symptomatic: from 14 to 24 days! That is practically a month that people can be walking around and spreading it.

Depending on the data that pans out over the next few months, the rate of infection could be 5 times or more the rate of infection of influenza.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

From Sh1mon's link

At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Japan

(their bold text)

It gets lost among the other advice, but this is the most important bit. Ultimately, they are saying Japan is safe for the time being. Just wash your hands like they say.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is a good, real story! Thank you! The CDC Level 1 travel advisory very clearly states "...the CDC does NOT recommend canceling or postponing travel to Japan..."

It is a shame to see the conspiracy theorists and the fake media trying to make this coronavirus into the next plague.

Don't let the western media lead you astray. Just look at the numbers in Japan. They are very low and there is absolutely no need to panic. Just take normal caution. Just like influenza.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Yes, because people's opinion can stop the spread of the virus.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I have tickets to fly to Tokyo in three months and I’m far from upbeat.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A short time ago the Health and Welfare Ministered declared people should not travel on crowded trains or be in large crowds.

Then Abe said that if you had the sniffles you'd better stay home from work and school.

And today we see happy tourists bunched up together in Tokyo with their masks.

So what's going on? Is the danger largely over or is this only a photo opt?

When the Health and Welfare minister issued his dire advice (see above) I timidly remarked that maybe the virus is less virulent here in Japan since people squashed together every day and are not falling down dead on their way to work or home. I am not an expert and so don't know. What I have seen is first panic and now tranquilizing assurances that all is really well. Find neither assuring.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

South Korea is now at 156 confirmed cases and Japan is at 97 with Singapore who was second, now in fourth at 85 not counting the growing number on the Yokohama docked Princess cruise ship at 634.

The numbers now coming out of China are completely fake. China is doing everything it can to hide the fact that more than 150,000 have been infected and more than 3000 have died. The current numbers just don't make sense and don't add up. Currently 76,726 worldwide with 2,247 deaths and 18,547 recovered but less than 2600 new infections over the last four days worldwide? Really?! So now it's growing proportionally much faster outside of China per capita?

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

I call complete BS on China's reporting of the numbers. The numbers are about to mushroom.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The airlines are so ‘upbeat’ that they are lowering prices to and from Asia!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Did the word "upbeat" came from the Gov't?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It funny to see one guy in the photo with a face mask and touching his eye with his finger.  There's only so much a mask can protect you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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