Japan eases virus restrictions to allow more people at sports, movie venues

Love the screen shot! Looks like any typical day around Tokyo Station at Monday AM rush hour!

Only thing missing is the masks!

The four could be from the same household, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be the guy sitting in the row behind.

BTW, Peninsula - a 2020 South Korean zombie movie.

The concept of social distancing just isn’t understood in Japan.

Last time I went to Mc Donnalds last Saturday which was yesterday...wow was it JAMMED pack! Americans McDonnalds would be jealous of the amount of customers and cash flow in a single day..

Let’s hope we don’t see a major increase in new cases this week due to the relaxed restrictions.

That’s double the audience at my local cinema on a non-Covid busy day!

How cinemas survive these days is a mystery. Maybe charging ¥1800 to sit in a dark room with 4 strangers is part of it.

I just watched a trailer for Train to Busan Present: Peninsula.

Won't be going to see that.

@Enrique what is going on in the US and what is going on in Japan are two completely different things. Japan, like a handful of other countries, has done a reasonably good job of containing it. The US, on the other hand, has completely botched it.

Been wearing the masks on trains and indoors when other people around (except at home of course) for the past 6 months. No sniffles, no colds, and almost no sneezes. Pretty sure the mask has something to do with that.

@Vanessa Carlisle

What numbers? New cases? Severe cases? Deaths? I think its only the last two that should be looked at to determine restriction policy. Plus you also need to consider not only up or down trend but also sheer volume. Japan has done amazingly well despite a fairly lax attitude by the government combined with a pretty pro-active response by the public. I have to wonder about the motives of those who insist Japan needs to shut down or not budge from current restrictions.

But you really have no idea of the real 'sheer volume' in Japan, do you, because Japan Does.Not.Test. Deliberately. There are still numerous reports how people are denied testing.

Motives, you ask? We could all return to our normal lives much faster, if people would all just "not budge" and control ourselves a little bit longer (=a few months). But we're in this mess for at least a year or two (until there's a working, safe vaccine), if people keep on ignoring social distancing, going to events, parties and whatnot. The waves will keep on coming this way. And that's my motive for the restrictions: I want the return to normal as well, rather sooner than never - and by scrapping the restrictions, by ignoring the social distancing, the return to normal will actually "never" happen (well, not until the forementioned vaccine).

Some examples of testing, as of September 15th 2020:

Japan: 17.34 tests per 1000 people

—

Ghana: 14.71 tests per 1000 people

South-Korea: 42.54 tests per 1000 people

Colombia: 58.74 test per 1000 people

Finland: 156.18 tests per 1000 people

Australia: 281.52 tests per 1000 people

Russia: 288.5 tests per 1000 people

(https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing#world-map-total-tests-performed-relative-to-the-size-of-population)

...and yes, testing is essential in order to get the big picture, in order to try and get the spread in control.

I'm not saying everyone should be tested, but everyone a) showing any symptoms that could be covid or b) suspected of being in contact with a positive case. E.g. Finland is encouraging every person who has even the slightest symptoms to get tested, whereas Japan has a long list of conditions that patients need to fulfil -all of them - before they're even considered for testing.

And for the person who's now considering writing a comment: "But only deaths matter", I disagree with you, heavily. There are numerous reports on corona long-haulers, and recently, how it may damage the brain also in the mild cases - so no thank you to that. (e.g. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02599-5)

Just let run its course

Anything can change for capitalism.

So you use a tinfoil hat conspiracy site like https://www.nowtheendbegins.com to support your view?

Actually, I never heard of it. I just searched for that image, and that was the first that came up. The image is real. A so-called expert was ignoring all the rules he is asking everyone else to follow.

Glad to see people stop paying attention to the fearmongering, and now even j-gov is supporting larger gatherings.

Not fear mongering, mate. Covid is bloody serious. It is almost impossible to eradicate it in a country like Japan. Therefore the right way is to surpass and contain it. Against all odds and with some luck, Japan has done it. It is reasonable to ease restrictions but precautional measures are still needed to prevent another wave.

Raw BeerToday  12:15 pm JST

Actually, I never heard of it. I just searched for that image, and that was the first that came up. The image is real. A so-called expert was ignoring all the rules he is asking everyone else to follow.

Thank you for your honesty.

Nonetheless, this is the disinformation age in a nutshell. You’re searching for anything to support your point of view and not checking your sources.

A good call from the Japanese government. Japan has made the correct decision to live with the virus and mitigate its impact.

@Randy Johnson I couldn’t agree with you more. And the term “new normal” I always thought it was very unhelpful. It’s extremely misleading, and with people as anxious and scared as it is, it IS a very misleading term. Why not “temporary normal”? Seriously, that would’ve been a far more accurate term for all this.

Excellent. This is great news. The sooner the better to get back to a normal life. Just ditch the add-on, 'new'. Then we'll be good.

I want to watch that movie.

Penninsula, the sequal if Train to Busan. South Korean Zombie movie!

By the way, even cases of Corona are on the rise in Germany, the Bundedliga will start in 2 weeks with spectators.

Around 10.000 are allowed to watch the game. And german people hate to wear masks.

It is to early for this one as yet.

Or, should the government really want to go ahead with this then make the use of masks mandatory at ALL times - covering mouth and nose - and take measures to ensure social distancing.

More and more I see people - indoors - without masks or just wearing it under their chin. Social distance is not a thing anymore as well anywhere from trains, lifts, grocery stores etc.

People have clearly dropped their guard as it happened around the world, this is why I am so skeptical regarding the infection numbers in Tokyo.

El Rata

But those people would have worn masks to and from the restaurant. Guaranteed. Can't exactly wear one while eating or drinking. Masks have certainly helped Japan keep numbers extremely low.

https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/covid-19-chief-anthony-fauci-attended-baseball-game-didnt-social-distance-wear-mask-sparking-cries-of-fauci-fraud/

Let's see, he's with his wife and friend, nobody else around them, and in an huge outdoor stadium. Yeah, you really got him. There's 200,000 deaths and climbing here in the US, so yeah, COVID really is that bad. You need to get out of the Breitbart bubble, dude.

@CrashTrstDummy

if you are resident in a city, like 80% of the people are, then, that ‘respect’ just disappears.

With a little more experience and observation, your opinion may change.

@ag, Ashley Shiba I went to two clinics and was told I could get a pcr test right away. Please don’t spread false rumors about this.

you do not have to jump through hoops to get a pcr test in Tokyo.

That image should come with a warning and a cover and not be seen until clicked to uncover. Not me, but some people are pretty sensitive. This is not the place to expect such images.

My issue with easing restrictions is that typically its a good idea when the numbers have been going down. However, the numbers have not been going down.

Good news.

Easing any restaurants by pandemic is going to revive the shrinking economy.

A few weeks later,

we could could see number of case increase again,

But there is no change in right direction for pandemic closures

Good news. 

Easing any restrictions by pandemic is going to revive the shrinking economy. 

A few weeks later, 

we could could see number of case increase again,

But there is no change in right direction for pandemic closures

Raw BeerToday  08:12 am JST

That "stupidity" is not limited to Japan:

https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/covid-19-chief-anthony-fauci-attended-baseball-game-didnt-social-distance-wear-mask-sparking-cries-of-fauci-fraud/

I think more and more people are finally realizing that covid is not that bad.

So you use a tinfoil hat conspiracy site like https://www.nowtheendbegins.com to support your view?

Outstanding!

The concept of social distancing just isn’t understood in Japan.

In my experience, Japanese are way more respectful of people's personal space than most other countries. Also, how much can you really social distance when in high densely populated areas like the train stations, and trains.

My issue with easing restrictions is that typically its a good idea when the numbers have been going down.

What numbers? New cases? Severe cases? Deaths? I think its only the last two that should be looked at to determine restriction policy. Plus you also need to consider not only up or down trend but also sheer volume. Japan has done amazingly well despite a fairly lax attitude by the government combined with a pretty pro-active response by the public. I have to wonder about the motives of those who insist Japan needs to shut down or not budge from current restrictions.

@serendipitous1

But those people would have worn masks to and from the restaurant. Guaranteed. Can't exactly wear one while eating or drinking. Masks have certainly helped Japan keep numbers extremely low.

Not my party at least and we were at least 12 people, not sure about other patrons, though. My opinion is that the numbers of Japan are quite low due to superior hygienic habits, shoes off the house, regular exposure to diverse germs due to pop density and night ofuro.

Four people in the picture sitting as close as they can be in an almost deserted theater, in a pandemic!

What does that show?

Stupidity.

That "stupidity" is not limited to Japan:

https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/covid-19-chief-anthony-fauci-attended-baseball-game-didnt-social-distance-wear-mask-sparking-cries-of-fauci-fraud/

I think more and more people are finally realizing that covid is not that bad.

Great! The doomsayers and mask police will be enraged from the news. Yesterday, I went dining out with the fam a large group of friends, packed restaurant and no masks in sight, what a delight to see. Glad to see people stop paying attention to the fearmongering, and now even j-gov is supporting larger gatherings.

The concept of social distancing just isn’t understood in Japan.

It's not that social distancing is 'not understood' by Japanese (this isn't rocket science), it's just that they don't care and in such a densely packed nation, unrealistic to expect social distancing. And, as always, a necessary reminder that this is hardly unique to Japan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53138300

https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/29/thousands-of-anti-corona-protesters-flood-berlin

https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/05/anti-lockdown-protest-in-australia-turns-violent-as-15-arrested-13227789/