Japan's 2nd state of emergency met with public indifference

To each their own choice.

Medical experts and government worldwide have been wrong time and time again. Remember 'no mask is necessary', 'no evidence of air-borne transmission'? Why should the public believe what they recommend now?

COMING SOON TOTAL SHUT DOWN as the number of cases continue to rise and people still going about their normal lives and ignoring the emergency the only way people are going to stay home is with a cost, a penalty for being out. People may not like it, but they have to keep in mind. Japan wants this under control because they want the Olympics to take place. Its all about economics they have invested a lot of time an money and if the Olympics doesn't happen they lose face and money!

I didn't care about the first one, either.

Of course they would be indifferent. In order to promote Go To Travel and Go To Eat, the central government have for months spread the propaganda that travel is safe, eating in doors with packed crowds is safe, large events is safe, and even subsidizing people to do those. Now they are wondering why people kept doing the very things the government have encouraged for months.

This morning I saw a bunch of old men at an intersection with flags about Covid happily waving at passing by cars and I wandered, who is paying for this pointless activity.

At least two people in Tokyo have died while waiting to be hospitalized after testing positive for the virus.

If that is true, it just shows Japan wants to get rid of the "weaks", you know like old people costing a lot, those with comorbidities, etc. Reminds me what I learned during a famous world war.

Those obeying like slaves to their company working at office won't regret it, until they get consequences of the covid19 or worse for a member of family or acquaintance.

Just a matter of time...

We all know Japan is special and rest of the world cannot have achieved such a civilized status.

During pandemy, ignorance is bliss (all data from hospitals are useless naturally).

I just wish to be wrong but my belief in science gets over my belief in fate.

What’s funny is this rich country hasn’t develop a vaccine even poor Iran made one. Jp has to beg for vaccine now Indonesia India many countries have already started vaccinations. My brother in Guam got vaccinated yesterday. Jp public who knows when end of year next year and will need two doses? Inept government is the problem.

So hilarious paranoid people here. This virus isn’t disappearing you will catch it eventually like a cold. The point is we need herd immunity either by infection or vaccine. Stop this fear!

People are fatigued by the restrictions, thus indifferent. If you want to be in a hard lockdown situation, you can simply lock yourself up in your home. Have to work? You can quit your job, too. You CAN control your own life.

This is bad. The government needs to take action to protect people in Japan, and make them take the virus seriously.

They should hang those "Stay Home" banners at the Olympic venues.

This is what happens when ...you tell your people repeatedly that everything is fine..when you hammer it into their brains that they are living in a place which is a virtual safezone, when everytime there's a news article, it mentions that somehow, we avoided/continue to the worst caused by the pandemic..... And suddenly one day, you make a U-turn and say that we are not fine... People are already used to think they are safe .they won't believe that they too are at risk . The administrators here created this complacency... No one else is to blame.

The photograph. I count thirteen individuals beneath the banners. All are wearing masks. One individual has their mask pulled down & out of place, while appearing to be talking and another has the mask askew, almost slipping off his nose. The distancing is not perfect, but they are not clustered together. As a juxtaposition between the banners and the small gathering of citizens at a street crossing, it illustrates exactly what? Certainly not an overwhelming number of individuals ignoring a state of emergency order.

There are available resources to figure the reduction in foot traffic and an exact measure of train & bus commuters. There is exact data available from rail companies, specific to stations in Tokyo, Osaka or elsewhere. Using such data would make for a more accurate article.

The author of the article is opining and provides ABSOUTELY no factual evidence. Not one iota. There are quotes from Governor Koike, which are naught but self-serving and simply vapid P.R. spin. Koike, an individual who seemingly is incapable of applying a firm and continuing policy to ward off an increase in cases of viral infection. No mention of her contrary statements.

The increase in viral infections from covid, exponentially increased due to the GoToTravel campaign. Which not only encouraged 'non-essential' travel, but rewarded it with discounts and urged visiting distant locales within Japan. To add a specificity, the numbers of visitors in Nara, the past two months was evident by the number of autos from other provinces filling parking lots near tourist destinations and the downtown. One might also add, there will be an increase in numbers, following New Year activities within one to three weeks. No mention of such.

Koike, espoused including GoToTravel for Tokyo, when the province & city was excluded for good reason.

Suga, as PM, certainly bears responsibility for the implementation for the GoToTravel and now wants to increase the power of his office to enact restrictive laws. Everything he has done has been contrary to a measured and effective response to the pandemic.

There is a reference, in the article, to 'experts' claiming the emergency order is being ignored. Not one expert is named, let alone quoted.

To borrow from a posting above, by redarrow: Foot traffic data that tech company Agoop Corp. compiled from smartphone location, the number of people in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district on Saturday was reduced by 50% at 3 p.m. and 60% at 9 p.m. The number of commuters using Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station at approximately 8 a.m. on Jan. 8 — the day after the emergency was declared — was reduced by 40% to 50% compared with pre-pandemic levels.

I'm not against the idea of a lockdown, but I have to keep going to work because I need to pay for my family's rent and food etc.. My company also needs clients to keep coming because they need to pay rent and wages and not go bankrupt etc..

A (kinda) lockdown without any financial support isn't going to work for those companies and workers who can't work from home.

The government has announced three emergency budgets so far... butonly the first one seemed to provide any actual financial support for anyone (other than restaurants) , and I'm rather unclear on where all the money for the other two is supposed to be going.

Basically, no financial support for people since about June 2020.

I see better information and heart from most of the comments rather than the sensationalist articles! Nearly everyone has no choice but to got to work and live their lives, yet they are chastised for doing so by those in their ivory towers. Going through all the natural disasters that happen here on a yearly basis, it's always the people themsleves who make it though with determination and looking out for each other. Nothing but lip service from those .... (if I complete this sentence, it would be deleted!!!)

No of buses in has been reduced (where I live). Time scheduled has changed. reason "covid" . They should be increasing the number of buses or train. What an irony.

This actual Government Cabinet is not trustable. That is why many citizens will not follow.

What are you so afraid of? A virus that may kill you. Guess what, there are several other things out there that can kill you on a regular and random basis as well. Smoking-check. Passive smoking-check. Bad eating habits(lots of sugars and bad fats)-check. Molds and fungus-check. Cancer-check. Car crash-check.

The data of new infections and deaths needs to be detailed: what ages of people are getting infected? what types of people (travel a lot, work at office, stay at home study , sudy abroad, having other health issues/risks... etc, etc) and of those WHO exactly is dying and why/how?? Without this data the numbers are just for the purpose of panic creation and driving people to blindly comply.

Still few scientific data is provided and referenced as to the actual non-symptomatic transmission, the form and manner of most contagions(difficult to gauge I know, but still needs researching) .

I do not know the final solution, but prudency, plentyful detailed complete and broad spectrum (not just fitting one narrative) information and data made readily available and public will lead to educated people making wise informe decisions. Just keep playing the panic and fear card will only grow people more and more tired of specially, specially since for "pandemic" the numbers are pretty mild. Over hygienitizing only contributes to weakening your immune system, increased levels of stress for the economy, work, or confinement at home, also weakens you, not to mention the emotional and psychologial downfalls that many experiment, and the increaingly high levels of suicide and domestic violence that has been linked to lockdowns everywhere, including Japan. Stop the panic and fear, educate, make all data and all research (ALL, not just what fits a narrative) and then you will see things get better, and people come up with better solutions.

Fear fatigue. After a year of bombardment from the idiotic media, people are fed up and just want to get on with their lives, knowing that only a tiny percentage will develop symptoms and an even tinier percentage will sadly pass away.

I think the government actually understands this, and is torn between the need for people get on with their lives while at the same time "be seen to be doing something" and the need to care for people who are actually ill from the virus or with it, plus handle all the other illnesses that haven't taken a holiday.

For the pro-lockdowners, here's something to ponder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=978zLJJLo-I

What did they expect? The first lockdown was hardly a lockdown, so why would anything be any different the second time around?

It's not a lockdown, it's a SOE (state of emergency) the soe is in place to warn all citizens to take this pandemic serious. If they don't comply there will then be a lockdown.

Japans transportation system is built around crowds of people crammed together in close quarters. Unlike Koike, people have to work to survive. It’s easy for privileged government executives to brow beat the average citizen and not be required to follow the same rules they nag others to follow.

This is all about changing and adapting, it is inevitable, there will be no going back. Leaving the city for something new might be a good option.

Japanese neighbour going skiing at the weekend in Niigata with children and friend's children, as compensation for cancelled school trip; cannot decide whether to drive or take the train.

Infection? Pandemic? Restrictions? What????

Sorry, not gonna live out my life on the couch glued to my smartphone and eating Uber delivered Styrofoam crap.

You don't have to, get rid of the couch and buy a zabuton, turn the phone off and create something, go to the store and buy nice ingredients, get to know yourself and cook an amazing meal. That will certainly keep you occupied for a few weeks. Thats part of the solution.

People at the supermarket don't use the alcohol as before. Life is normal for them.

The next scandal - "Why Japan waited so long to roll out the vaccine"

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government has said the measures are needed to prevent an increase in infections in urban areas from spilling over to smaller towns where medical systems are vulnerable.

This is the dippity do dum that kept pushing the Go To Campaign all the way to the end of Nov. Our little town was packed with travelers at the end of Oct due especially to this campaign. A lot of the bookings wouldn't have been made nor would the people have been here w/o that 35%-50% discount. Our COVID rate skyrocketed a week later and we've finally been able to get it under control 2.5 months later.

If you want people to comply, you've got to show the populace you're not taking half-hearted ineffective measures. You need these SOEs with teeth and real restrictions on movement for a couple of weeks at least. Keep these cluster prefectures clustered.

What did they expect? The first lockdown was hardly a lockdown, so why would anything be any different the second time around?

The whole thing is a mishandled, bumbled, fumbled, stumbled, mumbled, mishmash of stupidity and dumb ideas by this incompetent govt, from the bottom of the local govt to the head of the national govt and all the twits in between.

No one should have been entering the country unless they were a returning resident, everyone should have been tested on arrival and then mandatory quarantined then tested before release from quarantine.

Any one showing signs of the infection should have been isolated completely.

One year on and those in charge still have no clear idea of how to manage or handle this situation, either that or they are just lying to everyone about this whole damn thing.

So is it all a lie, or is it stupidity ?

Meanwhile businesses, livelihoods, lives, sanity, freedoms , relationships and everything else is being squandered , wasted and crushed by these fools in charge.

Take that up with the businesses that won’t let people work from home ! People have to eat and pay rent!

Nothing is different from before the declaration, so why would it be met with anything different? My neighbor’s on her way to Umeda for some sale that she said is always crowded so “This time is a good chance” (which I’m sure hundreds of others are thinking), my coworkers excited to meet her friends for all-you-can-eat Yakiniku tomorrow, another for-worker going drinking tonight (him grinning and saying the izakaya is staying open past midnight, as usual), and so on.

Japans transportation system is built around crowds of people crammed together in close quarters. Unlike Koike, people have to work to survive. It’s easy for privileged government executives to brow beat the average citizen and not be required to follow the same rules they nag others to follow.

People were still commuting on crowded trains and buses in Osaka, Fukuoka and other areas of the seven new prefectures placed under the state of emergency. 

People commuting would fit my definition of essential travel, which is still allowed. If we are to judge the public, it should be on stuff like going to Starbucks out of boredom.

Whether intentional or not, creating a narrative of the public being indifferent or non-cooperative sets things up nicely for shifting the blame onto the public when the Olympics gets cancelled.

This is what happens when you get massively exaggerated fear-mongering that doesn't reflect reality: people see the huge discrepancy between how scary it's supposed to be and how weak it actually is then go about their business with the reality in mind.

The people on here might call them 'covidiots' and whatever but have you ever thought it's actually you who's the one that doesn't get it?

Let me see, the health care professionals that actually have to deal with the pandemic, and whose predictions about the increase of cases over this season turned out to be correct, say we should be much more careful or the real tragic consequences will begin to appear. On the other hand a nameless person on the internet without any data to support his opinion says they are all wrong and exaggerating something that is not dangerous...

It is quite clear who is the one that does not get it.

Totally thought the rainbow flags said “stay homo” and thought Japans getting progressive but still shouldn’t use derogatory phase lol

Time to put your money where your mouth is.

But to be fair I dont understand the way of thinking of a lot of people here. I am lucky that i can work from home if necessary, as can a lot of my coworkers. However they insist on turning up every day (even weekends). They tell me "you should be careful, you can work from home if you like", but they are all commuting like normal, which makes me feel like the lazy gaijin. Guess Ill go in to work too. Dont want to be the first on the chopping block if the business has to start making cuts.

The government need to start forking out the cash, but some people here also need a serious reality check.

"Japan's 2nd state of emergency met with public indifference"

Really? The writer seems to have left out some important details.

According to foot traffic data that tech company Agoop Corp. gleaned from smartphone location information, the number of people in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district on Saturday .... there was a 50% drop at 3 p.m. and 60% at 9 p.m.

The number of commuters using Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station at about 8 a.m. on Jan. 8 — the day after the emergency was declared — was down about 40% to 50% compared with pre-pandemic levels.

From the numbers above, it does not seem the public is indifferent. I wonder why the writer did not mention the above numbers?

Really not sure about this claim of "indifference". The streets are not as crowded compared to last month, the trains are less crowded compared to last month and the shops are less crowded as the day gets later compared to last month. That is the reality. People may have less respect government calling for the state-of-emergency, however the majority that are able to are doing as requested.

It’s more scary for me not to have income than it is to catch a virus...

Every developed nation on earth has a public health system. They all have existed for decades with the purpose of planning for a worst case scenario, a pandemic, and other lesser issues. But a pandemic was and should have been their main focus.

And after decades of having meetings, taking salaries, traveling and dining, writing reports, dining, traveling more reports, more hotels and dinners and lunches and conferences and airline tickets and salaries and more salaries -- when they are called to perform and act, they have all fallen on their faces.

All of them.

High school kids working at McDonald's is more competent than all of these public health "experts."

Let's see if the govt has the will and the courage to put serious pressure on the traditional ageing Japanese companies so that they allow their employees to work from home. But no, that will never happen, because when the response is "working from home is not part of Japanese culture", that's usually the end of the conversation. Don't blame average people for doing what they need to make sure they can pay their bills, secure their families and protect their careers. Blame the companies that refuse to come out of the 16th century and catch up with modern technology and ways of working. None of the big politicians and decision-makers use local transportation. They are driven around everywhere in the safety of expensive cars sponsored by taxpayer money. Unfortunately, the vast majority of office workers don't have that luxury, so unless their employers behave like responsible members of society, they are left with no choice.

People are being made to go to work, people at work have to eat out, there is no support to allow people to do what they know they should be doing, and hanging wistful banners everywhere 'suggesting' Stay Home when our boss says 'sure, you can always quit and stay home' is just a slap in the face.

What’s funny is that we see thousands of people outside when they could choose to stay home. They have a choice. And then we have those people who wish and want to stay home but they have to go to work, they don’t have a choice and they’re putting their families at home at risk.

Blase'

Is there a State Of Emergency in Tokyo now? I don't see any changes. Only a lot of businesses out of business in Roppongi and other areas as well. But people are just doing what ever they want. No changes at all.

The handling and communication here has bee woeful. All the governments effors to minimise the situation so to not alarm people has done exactly that. People aren't concerned enough to follow the new rules.

1) The testing has been deficient if not negligent. There is no mass testing, only of people who already have symptoms. Thus the numbers are low, and people are complacent.

2) The laws have no teeth. There are no penalties to ignoring the requests in the State of Emergency. There is no lockdown as seen in other countries.

3) The government actively runs a dplestic tourism campaign, then has to reverse engines when it spreads the virus.

4) Complacentcy has now crept in. Because of the governments bumbling, wait and see attitude and continual inaccurate low case numbers, people have learned to live with it.

The constitution does not allow for Japanese citizens to be demanded to do anything. It only allows for suggestions.

But us foreigners? They can do what ever they please.

His answer: We have every day important meetings and we want these meetings face to face.

And...now comes the most strange answer from him...we guess that during home office you will drink and not work.

OMG! IF the disease doesn't kill us, our bosses' stupidity will

I kinda understand. It's been a year. People are fed up to stay home. And people gotta eat and pay rent. Living in a city isn't cheap i tell you. Is very expensive depending where you are. I also use a lot of cash last year and things just get more expensive.

I think in most people mind is to just get it over with. if it come then let it come. Catching it and then getting better is a way out for some than to fear it. If they die then it's their own choice and bad luck. That's life. That's at least what most people think that i have talk with. They don't fear it anymore and rather catch it early than to stay home and fear it.

Probably could have done most of the work from home but NOOOO... come into the office

Same here! Exactly same!

I asked my Boss why I can not work from home? If I have factory related work, I can come to the company, I understand that. But 90% of my work I can do from Home.

His answer: We have every day important meetings and we want these meetings face to face.

And...now comes the most strange answer from him...we guess that during home office you will drink and not work.

But to give my company some credit, they do good prevention inside the office:

We all must wear mask! It is mandotory.

We all have big separaters between the desks.

Everywhere are samitizers.

Lunch time is separate, so that the cantine is not crowded and the people have to sit separate and should not talk during eating.

At least, better than nothing.

Well, what do you expect? We've been at this for almost a year with no end in sight. People aren't like machines where you can expect them to be on their toes and on full alert for 24/7 for nearly a year like a setting on your computer. Even the most careful person will slip up one way or another. You can also add the desensitization of the pandemic from the media which always overloads the public with not so useful information and the government's inspiring action to contain it.

She said the state of emergency is not just about avoiding eating out at night or for restaurants to close early, but to reduce contacts among people

What should we do?

exactly! where is the gov leadership on this??

People have to go to work every day by using full packed trains and sit in full packed offices.

The problem are not the people, the problem is the japanese management in 90% of the companies in Tokyo and Osaka.

They dont want people to work from home.

Exactly! All around the world, people are working and studying from home. Why can't Japan do the same? And if the companies won't do it, the gov should enact laws forcing them to.

I have to go every day, sometimes incl. Saturday, Sunday to my work place via Shibuya. The most packed place in Tokyo, by using the most packed trains. No choice!

Same! (though I don't have to go to tokyo thank god!) Worked last Saturday and Sunday- only Monday off. Probably could have done most of the work from home but NOOOO... come into the office. sigh.. Looking forward to this weekend though

Anyway, Excellent post Monty!

"I thank for your cooperation, but the number of people up and about in town has not been significantly reduced," Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike told reporters.

Yuriko should stay at home and donate her salary to the homeless of Tokyo, one group most at risk of contracting the virus!

"I thank for your cooperation, but the number of people up and about in town has not been significantly reduced,"-Koike.

We all know these people aren't the best and the brightest, but they continue to surprise with their lack of common sense.

People are being made to go to work, people at work have to eat out, there is no support to allow people to do what they know they should be doing, and hanging wistful banners everywhere 'suggesting' Stay Home when our boss says 'sure, you can always quit and stay home' is just a slap in the face.

Having witnessed government policy flip-flops (promoting Go To, then reimposing state of emergency), it’s no wonder people are indifferent to government’s request to stay home.

"The virus has no calendar, clock or even a map. Day or night, or prefectural borders doesn't matter," she said. "Please avoid going out for nonessential purposes."

Exactly Koike, therefore closing bars and restaurants at 8pm and having the GoTo Travel campaign was pure stupidity wasn’t it?!

Indifference is for most countries now. People got used to Corona.

all my students were required to wear masks and face shields. 

Poor kids having to wear face shields. Face shields have proven to be inefficient in a normal environment where nobody is known or supposed to be infected. In medical establishment that is a different story as sick people go there.

Otherwise, Big Camera staffs are all wearing google or face shields.

Continuing fear sustained by media is keeping driving this fear !

no better way to spend money than creating special banners? like give the money to Covid ward workers, or the just plain poor?

The above two comments are spot on.

Not everyone is able to work at home & have to travel on crowded trains to work.

And we certainly don’t have the luxury of personal drivers like a lot of these spoiled politicians have

there is a small table outside my door on the 3 days I teach with an alcohol battery operated machine

A HEPA air purifier inside would offer much more benefit. So far only airborne infection has been proven, and superspreading events have been in closed stale airspace.

Infection by touch / via surfaces has not been confirmed

I SWEAR we are fighting two pandemics.

Coronavirus and Stupidity.

People fear what they don’t know.

"reduce contacts among people"

Contact with each other's exhaled air/aerosols, more specifically.

So mostly indoors contacts.

@theperson

I am not a citizen, just a resident here but I can understand your feelings. It seems to me that the Japanese Government started executing a campaign to deflect their failures towards the citizens and residents of Japan.

I agree with you. The media should write about the lunacy of the government allowing/encouraging Go to Travel to continue, the insanity of still trying to host the Olympics, and the grotesque waste of money by Abe with the sill masks.

With the above the "leaders" downplayed the virus and signaled to the population that things are not so bad however now when they take a turn to the worse citizens such as you are insulted and blamed.

What an insulting article!

I am a citizen so don’t tell me that I and others are “ignoring” things or that people are indifferent.

People must work or they will fail to provide for their families and themselves.

Of course the trains have people in the morning Mayor Koike. The city woke up and went to work to keep it running.

At this point the media should be writing stories about what the policy makers have been doing all day and how they are planning for the worst (which is yet to come).

”Trains be crowded...” my god!

She said the state of emergency is not just about avoiding eating out at night or for restaurants to close early, but to reduce contacts among people

What should we do?

People have to go to work every day by using full packed trains and sit in full packed offices.

The problem are not the people, the problem is the japanese management in 90% of the companies in Tokyo and Osaka.

They dont want people to work from home.

I have to go every day, sometimes incl. Saturday, Sunday to my work place via Shibuya. The most packed place in Tokyo, by using the most packed trains. No choice!

But I do my best personal prevention and so far myself and nobody around me got sick.

But my boss said it again and again: No home office in this company.

re: ashley, taking precautions is good, but if the other kids are exposed by those not taking precautions is a probable way of spreading the COVID. Why not do like the other teachers out there who have moved to internet online services instead until things improve. Too many folks out there remove their masks and blast away. Seen that when traveling by car. Some still just blast away and don't even wear masks, or use the hand sanitizers available or wipe shopping carts down. Some stores have staff wiping carts and shopping baskets but they keep using the same dirty rag...hmmmm.

Shouldn’t have spent the last several months dicking around with the Go To campaign then.

Proof that Japanese think they are somehow immune.

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