Japan not in situation to declare state of emergency over COVID-19, Suga says

Can't have a COVID emergency if you don't test anyone!

I see three young Japanese males in the main portion of the picture.

One of them is wearing a mask, properly.

The other two? Your typical specimen at your local train station at night, loitering.

You're right Suga, there's no state of the emergency, today. How about we keep it that way by smartening up. Slap some reality into fools such as yourself and the geniuses in the picture.

Typical Japan, WAIT till something bad happens, THEN go into action, and also CRY when it is too late to do anything about it.

See you in 2021 Suga, maybe.........

Can't have a COVID emergency if you don't test anyone!

Actually, although 4 staff tested positive a few of months ago and our hospital was closed to outpatients for two weeks, tests are now being done. On condition. You have to inform our hospital before your arrival. You must have severe fever and other severe symptoms. You must see a doctor and they must decide if you are eligible for a test.

you can’t just walk in of the street with a runny nose or a cough to get a test.

This is a small step. Before this, if a serious condition patient presented, the doctor would have to submit a request to the prefectural government to carry out a test.

@bukuda

im a foreigner. I never wear a mask (only in the hospital or fightclub as it is a sensible rule). My other foreign friends only wear at their workplace to prevent being fired.

i never wear when driving by myself or hiking in mountains. I do social distance and handwash etc.

So grateful to be in a country that let's you decide and assess the risk and doesn't treat you like a baby. It seems that many people would love to have a nanny state like the ones in the west and that is a sad thing. Thanks Suga!

shogun

I see three young Japanese males in the main portion of the picture.

One of them is wearing a mask, properly.

NONE of them are, my friend! The one you are talking about only has his mouth covered. The virus can just as easily enter through the NOSE!

I went to an Orthopaedic clinic last night for some Physio Therapy on my shoulder. With the exception of the guy who was working on me, ALL of the staff were working with their masks covering their mouths only. Their Nostrils were exposed. Had my guy done the same, I would have cancelled, left, and never come back. Luckily he is the best one there and I only book my sessions with him.

People can contract the virus through the nose JUST AS EASILY as through the mouth.

Japan not in situation to declare state of emergency over COVID-19, Suga says

Well, I would at least like to know WHAT the situation to declare a state of emergency would entail. The government should at least be transparent about THAT.

Sorry- for those that don't know, an Orthopaedic clinic is 整形外科クリニック

Yep, let burry the head in the sand ,and when we take it out covid might just magically go away..just in time for the Olympics. Voila. Safety Japan.

Wow! You are very good at Japanese culture! Sugoi!

The culture of shame is actually I believe working in Japan’s favor during the corona. The stigma and scorn that would be attached to anyone bringing corona into the workplace, home or community ( especially the rural community mindset ) has kept a majority of the population in tow. Fear of being on the receiving end of that dreaded and ever pervasive group scorn has them by and large following safety guidelines , doing their part and taking the virus seriously.

In that sense Japan has no need for a nanny state, because they simply police each other. Generally speaking of course. I think many young people are getting a bit fed up with it all , a bit of COVID fatigue, and are starting to throw caution to the wind, but that is the very nature of youth itself. They too will tow the line eventually. I think this group mentality is maybe Japan’s secret as to why numbers have stayed so relatively low in such a densely populated country. Natto or something is probably the other! Hot baths? Maybe all of that bukatsu and exercise they did at school. We’ll find out eventually.

The summer curve was flattened without any measures and without any notable increase in mortality. Suga's policy makes complete sense if we follow the data.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, adding that experts backed that view.

The experts and mainstream media lost their credibility a long long time ago, they are just mouthpiece of the government.

Funny how 2020 all flu and influenza numbers went to zero... That not happen in 100 years... Any idea why? Maybe they both on vacation...lol

im a foreigner. I never wear a mask

I suggest you read Elvis_is_here's comment and the latest from the CDC.

For all your mask wearing covid people! If you wear your mask to long and not changing it every hour test your mask for bacterial colonization... You become a health hazard for yourself and others.

I think this group mentality is maybe Japan’s secret as to why numbers have stayed so relatively low in such a densely populated country. Natto or something is probably the other! Hot baths? Maybe all of that bukatsu and exercise they did at school. We’ll find out eventually.

@ Ricky Kaminski. There is no "special secret". Japan is actually NOT performing in the better nations in the region for Covid. No time for people to drop their guard, with a long winter approaching and most people spending most of their time indoors.

Most of last winter, Covid didnt exist in Japan - it will this winter.

So from the Japanese time frame, what exactly was the second wave? This is the first time I've heard of a third wave being created by Japan. Many of us have been warned of a more intense second wave than the first. It's not like it's a treat here.

@Goodluck

Your statement below is interesting. Nearly all foreigners I know in Japan are very good about wearing a mask as are Japanese people.

GoodlucktoyouToday  01:42 pm JST

@bukuda

im a foreigner. I never wear a mask (only in the hospital or fightclub as it is a sensible rule). My other foreign friends only wear at their workplace to prevent being fired.

i never wear when driving by myself or hiking in mountains. I do social distance and handwash etc.

It is also because the other day you said "no foreigners please".

GoodlucktoyouNov. 12  08:41 am JST

But government want to keep and extend Go To Travel until May next year.

GoTo is not the problem. It is short term business visas, events like the mini games last week and the murderous Olympics.

Containment is the most effective measure for an island like japan. No foreigners please.

Should we take this to mean you are removing yourself from Japan?

Prolong usage of a mask is not healthy for you.

People will get pneonia from not being able to release bacteria from their system and rebreathing the same bacteria over and over again.

You will get sick and possibly die.

Your best protection is your immune system.

The science the media feeds you is bull.

Ricky Kaminski

The culture of shame is actually I believe working in Japan’s favor during the corona. The stigma and scorn that would be attached to anyone bringing corona into the workplace, home or community ( especially the rural community mindset ) has kept a majority of the population in tow.

Has it occurred to you that the shame and scorn will force a lot of people from seeking a PCR test

even when they suspect they are infected, for fear of the shame and scorn or some cases losing their

jobs. With 40 percent of the workforce being temp, contract or part time and viewed as expendables,

most will obviously loss their jobs for impacting the company. It is well known that some Japanese still went to work when they caught cold or the flu. If you take a PCR test without the knowledge of your company and you happen to test positive, there is no way you can hide it as the hoken center will obviously contact your work place and test those the infected was in contact with.

I don't often agree with what the Japanese government says, but in this case I think they're right not to follow Europe and the UK down the path to insanity with a state of emergency. While "case" numbers are rising with increased testing, the moving averages for people showing more than mild symptoms or worse are barely moving.

https://covid19japan.com

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/japan/

By all means, wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance if you wish, but this does not warrant a SoE or lockdown.

It will be interesting to watch this season's flu numbers. According to this article from a month ago,

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20201012/p2a/00m/0na/013000c

According to vital statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, preliminary results up until July show that some 18,000 fewer people had died in Japan as of July 2020 than they had by the same time last year.

if this was the result of a milder flu season than normal, there it is not outside the realm of possibility that people would have died in a more severe flu season last winter died of SARS-CoV-2 instead this year.

People will get pneonia (sic) from not being able to release bacteria from their system and rebreathing the same bacteria over and over again.

Never take medical advice from someone who cannot spell pneumonia correctly.

Horrible feeling knowing that we are under extra scrutiny as foreigners living in Japan, being judged, in an environment where social compliance and conformity is the norm. It's all so oppressive. That atmosphere foreigners have been living in since the pandemic began and re-entry injustice began, will roll on, and get transferred to tourism and the Olympics. Manage the foreign bodies; extract money; subject them to surveillance. There's very little light or joy left, even in something meant to be celebratory.

Drlucifer@ great name man. I hear you on the temp worker gig, but not sure what it has to do with people self regulating their behavior due to the fear factor of group scorn. If you don’t think it’s a real factor, perhaps even the core factor that regulates all behavior here then you haven’t worked with them for long enough. You think that big govt. should step in and mass test the nation? Have you ever been to your local shiaksho? Seen the signs of competence readily available to undertake such a task? Japan will do what it does best, very little; and deal with things quietly and internally. Wasn’t suggesting people drop their guard either, just making observations of the youngens trying to get on with their lives, still not quite sure what all the fuss is about.

fighto@ it’s not? You ever chat with your mates overseas? Got a few in multiple countries? Ask them what life is like for them then compare that to your COVID life here in Japan. Risk assessment still in the hands of the conscientious individual.

We were all expecting the worst in February, but none of it has happened. Like none of it. So, Japan has been a bit of an anomaly , scientists all want to know what the japan secret is and no one can say what exactly factor X is. Anyone claiming to know better is just fooling themselves.

So, Japan has been a bit of an anomaly , scientists all want to know what the japan secret is and no one can say what exactly factor X is. 

But Japan is no anomaly in Asia.

If there is a "Japan secret", then there must be a South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong "Secret". Because all of these regional countries have a lower Covid death rate than Japan.

Lets not fall into the trap of thinking there's some mysterious magic in natto, green tea or onsens thats protecting Japanese.

Following scientific principles of testing, tracing and good hygeine is the way. Japan is doing quite well and must keep it up thru winter.

Japan is doing even better than Sweden it seems

One would hope so. The covid death rate per population is over 40 times higher in Sweden than Japan. Tragically, Sweden is an example of what not to do.

By all means, wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance if you wish

No, it's not a matter of if you wish to, it's your social responsibility to do so.

One would hope so. The covid death rate per population is over 40 times higher in Sweden than Japan. Tragically, Sweden is an example of what not to do.

Sweden's mistake was not to isolate vulnerable people in the early stages and let the virus play out. The high death rates occurred early on and have since resembled Japan's, creeping along in the single digits or low double digits, so you're not really comparing apples with apples. Also, Sweden had a mild flu season last year, so this virus has most likely claimed people who would have otherwise died in a more severe flu season if you compare flu seasons over several years and follow the trends in peaks and troughs.

Bacteria pneumonia is known to have killed people. The mask keeps the bacteria from your mouth and make a petri dish of bacteria colonies; keeping your mask on for prolong periods of time is not a good idea as your body's immune system is weaker due to less sunlight making the increase of bacteria that would usually leave your system harder for your body to fight off.

I wore a mask everyday for work and was stressed out, very bad for immune system. I got a bacteria infection that the doctors did know what it was. I had a very high fever for weeks and my crp was increasing with every antibiotic they gave me. The last kind of antibiotic drip they gave me actually saved my life.

Make sure take vitamin D, get plenty of rest, don't stress out and take care of yourself and you won't have a problem.

You don't need a mask.

this virus has most likely claimed people who would have otherwise died in a more severe flu season if you compare flu seasons over several years and follow the trends in peaks and troughs.

While influenza and covid-19 share co-morbidities, it is disingenuous to compare the mortality rate for covid-19 in 2020 to influenza mortality in previous years due to the material difference in preventative measures taken globally in 2020. In fact, these measures have likewise critically impacted the influenza mortality rate for 2020. This is a variation on the specious argument that because the preventative measures are working, they are unnecessary.

March-Oct spent in Europe. Never wore mask anywhere. Prior fly to Japan it was time for required PCR test. Result: Negative. Flew to Tokyo, another test at the airport. Result: Negative. Feel perfect so far. I put mask only inside of public transport and in the shops, eventually when is too crowded on the street. On the backstreets with almost zero people I enjoy the "fresh" air

GoToTravel saved me some money these days. Plan to do more. If you have a choice not to be stuck in the office on weekday then go for it. Shinkansen is empty and typical tourist places as well. In the empty train people wore masks too, so did I. Nobody talk, sneeze or cough, so the risk is minimum.

Men's toilet in the station someone mentioned here. Oh men! I wash always my hands quite long. During that time all 6 guys who took a pee left without touching the water. Or...maybe they have probably washed earlier while standing still. This is why I carry alcohol gel with me to clean hands after riding in JR or subway. All those guys with clean hands hang on there too, right

Bear in mind that is getting colder and people get sick. However these days there is only one sickness on the world called Corona. Even if you break something, X-Ray will be called corona too. Cheers. Enjoy life.

March-Oct spent in Europe. Never wore mask anywhere. 

You and tens of millions of other Europeans. Just look at the horrendous Covid statistics there now.

Wear a mask this winter.