Japan slowly opens tourist spots amid concerns over virus flare-ups

The virus has not gone away. Little about handwashing and and keeping visitors two metres apart, which are very effective against spreading the virus. Limiting opening hours just encourages people to crowd together - staggering visitor numbers by using timed ticketing over a longer period is safer. Temperature checks are futile, many with the virus are asymptomatic. Allowing people with dirty hands to touch everything is just asking for trouble.

Make hand sanitiser use compulsory at entrance and exists to sites and buildings, place markers ensuring people keep two metres apart and timed visits through ticketing are the most common sense things to do.

Divinda

The next several months, if not the rest of the year (and next???), will be a unique opportunity to visit places without them being overrun by foreign tourists, particularly the "popular" spots. Will remind me of the good old 90s when the only gaijin to be found were mainly those living here.

Will remind me of the good ol early 80s when you can stay for months without seeing a gaijin and when you did there was always joy in each other and most of the time ended with a chat. Not now, everybody is snobbish. Miss Pick &whistle, the most popular gathering spot for exchanges in osaka.

"I felt revived by seeing the Buddha's face after so much stress from refraining from going outside due to the virus," said Nobuo Nishimori, 65, from Toyama Prefecture.

> Buddha hasn't helped yet.

In a few weeks or months from today ~ we are all going to be back here asking why the Japanese Government opened up the country so fast. But go ahead. Ignore what is going on in South Korea regarding a new flare up since they relaxed the shutdown.

I never understand the logic of shorter opening hours, or shorter operating hours....

No, it is not.

People know how to take care of themselves and to act responsibly for the most part in Japan!

Yes. Let's ignore professional health advice for 'feels' can you imagine the loss of lives if people relied on jingoistic feel good rubbish instead of sound science? Thank science for science!!

@Monty

No, i just woke up outta of a bad dream-Oh, but wait,...

Fukuoka had 33 new corona cases in just two days?

It wasn't a dream after all.

This pandemic is far from over. No testing being done, corona zombies walking around infecting people.

It's just the beginning

Yep, very nice indeed.

I am very surprised to see almost only supporters here for the re-opening of the country.

That is very nice!

I think all the fear mongering and and "end of the world-junkies" are still sleeping.

@　Wallace FredToday  08:28 am JST

This. This is simply madness.

Shutting down the country was madness,

keeping the country closed would be plain stupid.

Madness?

No, it is not.

People know how to take care of themselves and to act responsibly for the most part in Japan!

This. This is simply madness.

This is good news. We need to get back to the norm. Actually America has found that protesting and rioting in mobs is defeating coronovirus. People around the world are now doing it.

Oldman 13 and divinda

I 100% agree!

Very good news and a great chance to visit many nice spots without over-crowed by foreign tourists.

Nows a great time to go. Before the country inevitably opens to tourists again

The next several months, if not the rest of the year (and next???), will be a unique opportunity to visit places without them being overrun by foreign tourists, particularly the "popular" spots. Will remind me of the good old 90s when the only gaijin to be found were mainly those living here.

Good news!