Gov't urges 'quiet' year-end, but will continue Go To Travel campaign

However, the government urged people to spend a "quiet" year-end after daily coronavirus infections hit a record on Thursday, but said it would keep providing subsidies to promote tourism despite media reports that it may pause the campaign.

That's like preventing a forest fire from breaking out but selling firecrackers and hosting BBQ's as a fundraiser.

The self-serving and lethargic non-reaction by the Japanese electorate is depressing and pitiful.

Feckless leadership by Suga.

The self-serving and lethargic non-reaction by the Japanese electorate is depressing and pitiful.

Agreed, the Japanese electorate is definitely self-serving, lethargic and pitiful

However, the government urged people to spend a "quiet" year-end after daily coronavirus infections hit a record on Thursday, but said it would keep providing subsidies to promote tourism despite media reports that it may pause the campaign.

So don't do the thing you have a campaign actively encouraging us to do with financial incentives then?

Well, with the non-stop fun cavalcade of New Year TV spectaculars, what could possibly tear me away from my home?

Looks like 007 is going to be pulling double duty at Chateau Grebe this year.

How ridiculous - Please stay home, but if you want to travel and spread the virus, here's some taxpayer money so you can do it on the cheap.

A whole lot of nothing and still no social distancing around a ridiculously large table. I'm sorry, I don't understand what they hope to convey here

Suga is right. I've had a three day Christmas holiday go to travel trip booked for months now. I need a break from this depressing virus and work. And I fully intend to take all necessary precautions so as not to catch or spread the virus. So why shouldn't I go on the trip? I'm exposed every day at work and on public transport anyway so what's the difference? Permanently shutting down, and ruining, the economy to slow the virus is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. People just need to socially distance etc.

Dude, make up your mind stay home or travel.

You can't have it both ways.

Wt* is wrong with you. ha

Gov't urges 'quiet' year-end, but will continue Go To Travel campaign.

A mantra for Japan Inc. or its epitaph: Be quiet, work, contribute to the bureaucracy, LDP, companies and spend money.

The reports are not true; we will continue to operate it in an appropriate way, striving to prevent infections spreading

I'm starting to think Suga and Trump were classmates.

In other words, people are not taking proper care so the cases are increasing, but we will promote crowding and population movement that is likely to make things worse because we trust people will take proper care.

Nonsense.

A complete idiot running this country.

This is a great example of a discrepancy...so sad.

Hear that dull, rhythmic noise? It’s the sound of anyone with a half a brain cell banging their head against the wall.

Idiot

It looks like Mr Suga is poised to become the most incompetent prime minister in post WW2 Japan.

It took that many people in a school gym to urge a "quiet Christmas", in the middle of a pandemic? Now that's leadership?

Japan won't begin mass inoculations against the virus until March at the earliest. It has ordered 290 million vaccine doses from Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna Inc.

Why always so late, March???

The UK started last week and the US will start this month.

Do you want to get COVID under control now or wat? ha

Is this way really good???.

We urge people to stay home. But we also urge them to please travel.

Classic case of left side not knowing what right side is doing.

J-Gov have no strategy, besides get the Olympics at any cost.

Talk about a contradictory message!

Do they even see it? I have to say I have my reservations; it seems an extreme case of compartmentalised thinking. Where looking at each idea in isolation they are seen as a good idea but there is no cognitive connect to see that together they are a lethally stupid idea.

The cognitive dissonance is easily overcome by employing the "while" (ながら) function.

We will do [this inadvisable thing] while continuing to monitor / continuing to hold discussions / continuing to be careful...

I’m going to have to book more and more GoToTravel before it ends! Best thing that ever happened for Japanese people. Last year, because so many tourists, restaurants and hotel were about 30% more expensive. Now 30% less. Keep infection carrying foreign tourists out of japan. And Olympics people.

a government expert panel was of the view that there is little link between the travel subsidy program and coronavirus infections.

Do they really merit to be calked experts. One doesn't even need to be educated to know that it is human beings that carry the virus around and the more people the spread. Experts my big toe, more like parrots narrating what they have been told. It is people like them that have made me to find it difficult believing anything,

The reason they push for this, and for all the cryptic non-committals is really about how fragile the economy is in Japan. They cannot sustain a shutdown for a month. This society will collapse.

I’m also convinced they don’t mind elderly dying, knowing they follow like lemmings and cannot refuse a deal. These people are the drain in society and I do feel the government really looks at them as exceptional losses. This is a cold, efficient country that cares nothing for humanity unless there is some reward for that well-doing.

This country has a serial killer mentality compared to the wacko asylum in the US.

stay strong out there

Wow! Jforce, good call...

Cool, I can't wait to book my next trip using the campaign. It's been awesome so far. No crowds and great deals!

I was very wrong to believe in Suga. Very wrong. And the same goes for Koike. Both are sacrificing Japan and its people out of self interest.

Goto is madness. Taking no action in Tokyo is madness. The delay in vaccination is shame-full. In brief, it is one big mess.

This definitely feels like a only in Japan type of story.

They cannot sustain a shutdown for a month. This society will collapse.

No it won't. Let's not be melodramatic. Lots of people in Tohoku had no income for way longer than a month but their society did not "collapse". Japan is not a country where people's lives are so precarious that millions are on food stamps (US) or go to food banks (UK) to begin with. The pandemic has actually hit those countries harder with much bigger falls in economic activity, but they have not "collapsed" despite having tens of millions (in the US) with literally zero assets.

Anyone who has operated a minshuku for decades but has zero savings for a rainy day bears some responsibility for their situation. Just as they would if this were a typhoon or an earthquake or any other situation that is more likely than a once a century pandemic. Anyone facing difficulties should be supported, but you can do that with seikatsu hogo, UBI, temporary hardship grants, and lots of other ways that do not involve encouraging people to move around more during a pandemic. The needs of society at this time trump those of someone who is 65, has no savings and no pension, and needs a job cleaning an onsen to eat or heat his home. All that person needs is a little bit of money to tide them over.

The word 'urge' again!

And continuing with the GoTo campaign.

That's like asking strangers not to steal money, and then you throw a pile of money into the air and walk away.

In other words people should not take good precautions enough that cases escalate, but they will allow crowding and population migration that is sure to make it worse because we believe that people will take proper care of them.

Gov't urges 'quiet' year-end, but will continue Go To Travel campaign

I like to eat ice cream, BUT I will buy a cake instead....

Suga said on Friday that the coronavirus is spreading in Japan and the situation is tense, but that he was not thinking at this point of suspending the government travel subsidy program.

My son has the chicken pox and the flu, but I will send him to school and the park and the mall so that he can get some fresh air.

He added that if the economy worsened, it would be impossible to protect peoples' jobs and that a government expert panel was of the view that there is little link between the travel subsidy program and coronavirus infections.

Even though last week they had a report that there WAS a connection............

However, the government urged people to spend a "quiet" year-end after daily coronavirus infections hit a record on Thursday, but said it would keep providing subsidies to promote tourism despite media reports that it may pause the campaign.

Everyone please stay home! BUT we will pay you money if you travel outside of your home.

> "The reports are not true; we will continue to operate it in an appropriate way, striving to prevent infections spreading," the government's top spokesman

So the "experts" you are paying to make the reports are NOT doing truthful work? Good to know. Hopefully Japan will continue to pay them for fictitious reports.

Welcome to contradiction land. Check your sanity at the door. No logic is allowed here!

So, what was actually accomplished at this meeting?

It seems as if nothing was done.