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Japan starts 1st weekend under state of emergency as infection cases soar in Tokyo

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May it end soon, stay safe people! Wash ya hands and stay away from others cos it’s not worth the risk!

22 ( +26 / -4 )

Pachinko parlors still go strong in my neighborhood. People are lining up to play from 9am.

Shameless.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

As long as restaurants etc are open, & customers frequent these places, things ain’t gonna improve soon.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

A German science writer has expressed disbelief that despite great wealth and technological capabilities, the US has “sleepwalked” into the coronavirus disaster.

Kai Kupferschmidt said: “No matter how long I live, I don’t think I will ever get over how the U.S., with all its wealth and technological capability and academic prowess, sleepwalked into the disaster that is unfolding.”

His comment came as the United States was surging past 100,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, facing a critical lack of ventilators, masks and testing. Now it is more than 400,000.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

What Emergency???

People here in Yokohama out enjoying the sun, picnics in the park , hanami parties at the river. Even a little afternoon playfulnessin the open sex shops!!!!!

Business as usual here!

Don’t address the problem ! ignore it everyone!! It will go away! Typical Japanese mentality

14 ( +16 / -2 )

At the current rate of about 500 new infections a day, it will take about 7 years for the virus to infect just 1% of Japan's population.

@Burning Bush - But how many people are Japan testing? Japan is testing at some of the lowest rates of testing anywhere in the developed world.

Even with the pittance of testing being done, there are 500 cases being picked up daily now. Wasn't that long ago only a few a day were being picked up. So what makes you think the number of cases picked up daily will stay at 500 a day? Countries who are now seeing 2000 DEATHS a day had 5-10 new CASES per day, not that long ago.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

March 19, 2020: "The Tokyo 2020 will be held on schedule as planned."

April 7, 2020: Japan declares state of emergency.

Complete and utter ineptitude and denial on show.

Japan needs to close non-essential businesses, ban non-essential travel of their citizens and residents, stop restricting testing but offer it far and wide, identify those affected early, trace their contacts and isolate them.

If not, then Japan will end up like Italy and the US. This seems to be obvious to everybody but the leadership in Japan.

13 ( +27 / -14 )

I am in Aichi...

Izakayas cafes and barbers are excluded from the lockdown measures.

It really is a joke!!

lockdown? uhuh....

13 ( +17 / -4 )

At the current rate of about 500 new infections a day, it will take about 7 years for the virus to infect just 1% of Japan's population.

And of those 1% infected after 7 years, over 99% will recover without incident.

Downvote all you want, the math doesn't change.

@ Burning Bush - how many times do you need this explained to you? Lets try to keep it simple for you.

This virus has the capacity to completely overwhem the best healthcare systems in the richest nations of the world, in the space of just 2 weeks. It is happening in the US, Europe and can easily happen in Japan

Hospitals are already stretched at the best of times. Having thousands of people needing ICU - as is happening in many places - means people of all ages die.

Talk to anyone who works in healthcare if you really still cannot understand. There is a reason you constantly get down voted - it is because you clearly dont care to listen to these people explain what is happening, and why this pandemic is so dangerous.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

This so is NOT a "state of emergency"!

12 ( +20 / -8 )

As long as people do as asked, I think Tokyo will be able to reduce the numbers quickly. However, numbers will keep rising for the next couple of weeks as seen in other countries.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

There have been idiots, outside, everyday (weather permitting) at my local park, walking their dogs, playing together, sitting on benches together and jogging. I think I even saw a tent there today. I can see my park from my flat, btw.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Fortunately all the major hubs have substantially less traffic. Unfortunately that means all these yahoos are hanging around their local parks and playgrounds. Absolutely no social distancing is being practiced near me.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

My data is telling me Tokyo's transport system was at just 8% of normal capacity yesterday (Friday). I'm guessing it will be something like 5% this weekend.

Stay home - avoid all cafes, restaurants and izakaya - and stay safe!

9 ( +16 / -7 )

The Japanese government keeps repeating the goal of an 80% reduction in socializing. There must be some hard data behind that number. It is similar to the study done by the FDA (see the Guardian April 4) that if 80% of people wear masks the virus will be "essentially eliminated."

Other countries are taking a hard 100% approach and, of course, that is ideal. Since Abe cannot force a true lock-down we can only hope that businesses in those highly infected prefectures do all they can to reduce interactions.

This virus has been in Japan for a long time, comparatively, so perhaps there is already herd immunity going on. Only massive testing would let us know and that doesn't look like it is in the cards.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Martin V: "Unfortunately, things will be getting really bad now. I really don't want to say this, but I just have to: the Japanese people are always shocked if smth happens (which was "written in the stars", by all means), because an average person seems to have an absurd inability to analyze available data and to do some proper research on his/her own."

Oh, you don't need to tell me, my friend. They also have selective memories on top of that, and act like they weren't told this was coming over, and over, and over, and are all shocked, like hte other day went the government feigned ignorance and said, "We just can't understand how people are still going out when we asked them not to! Guffaw!"

Dougthehead: "A state of emergency cannot be imposed in Japan. Europe or US style. The constitution prevents it. An example:"

The Constitution also prevents Japan from have an army -- so they called it "The Self-Defence Force". It prevents them from going into war zones, but the government side-stepped that, too, and sent them to South Sudan, not to mention putting the Coast Guard on whaling ships. It is against a PM being re-elected the number of times Abe was, but they did it anyway. What's more, legislation just went into effect that allows Abe to shut things down. So, why bother making excuses that suddenly the Constitution is all-powerful and the government must obey it, even when they actually do have hte power to shut things down?

"In this case the government can only recommend to the population. It can never force or coerce people. "

And once again, the government has side-stepped this before and said, "We'll make them understand later," like with the Secrets Law. Does the government have the power to lock things down during a major earthquake?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Just come back from cycling along the Edogawa.

Usually that is a a weekly form of self-isolation for me......an escape from the stresses of city life.

However today was totally different......there were about 20 times more people out and about compared to the usual Saturday in April.

Even where the Edo meets the Tone there were loads of people out.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Yeah, "State of emergency" in name only. Everything still open if the owners choose it, with no penalties if they operate between the "recommended" hours. I love how they feign surprise though when announcing new highs in infection and deaths "despite the measures taken to combat the spread"!

8 ( +21 / -13 )

@Burning Bush: exponential mate.... it was 500 yesterday, it was 800 today....

The thing is the infection rate is around 2.3 (meaning one person infects 2.3 people).... so those 800 people today have infected at least axp. 1600 people that will start showing symptoms in 2 weeks.... those 1600 people will infect another 2.3 people

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Just walked past an izakaya in Shibuya at 8:30pm. Not an empty table in the place. I guess that close by 8pm request didn't convince everyone. The streets of Shibuya are pretty empty however.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Around stations all is shuttered but go 200-300 meters away and plenty is open

7 ( +9 / -2 )

I wonder if Koike-san's brilliant closing of izakaya's by 8PM is flattening the curve at all?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

I had a friend say to me via text yesterday: The media is blowing this all out of proportion. The threat is minimal.

I thought about that...for a good few seconds, as I flashed through Data and a did a mental check of the results from other countries, then looked at the numbers of official new cases over the last week, then thought about my other friends who have compromised immune systems.

I couldn't reply to my friend, I was just speechless.

I hope the J Governments huge gamble/deception/whatever pays off.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

It is reported that there were 330 new cases in Japan on April 5.

NHK has just reported that there were 674 new cases in Japan today.

The rate of new cases per day has increased by 85% in one week.

At this rate of increase, on April 18 will we have 1,250 new cases in one day?

This calls for something more than the toothless "state of emergency" that we have now.

While recognizing the limits that the constitution places, some creative thinking could surely provide a workable and more effective approach.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

quercetum...US embassy? and come back to America? over 2000 deaths a day ! not cases! and 500,000 cases?

oh a great place to run back to!

6 ( +10 / -4 )

It's pretty quiet in my neighborhood too except for the goddamn electioneering vans randomly going around. There's a local election here next weekend.

Still haven't seen anything anywhere encouraging/requesting social distancing.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Why is testing only 0.37 people per 1,000?

USA is 6.6 people per 1,000.

What's up with that?

Better than Pakistan, though!

5 ( +10 / -5 )

@burning man

What about exponental growth?

It might only take 3 years to infect 1%

I don't want to die from the corona virus, so thankfully the government is letting me starve to death instead.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

The police are turning people away from camp sites in Tottori and quizzing people on their plans in Tokyo.Helicopters are flying over Kobe city-police or news, it is hard to say.

Koike’s hometown of Ashiya is very quiet today with the main shopping center closed...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

All these number are at it's most just nothing more than indications and cannot be taken as facts.

Please provide your own official numbers or facts then.

One works with what one has. I think the numbers are seriously under-reported, but in the absence of anything more accurate, I am forced to use the accepted numbers to make my point.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Now, if they can get those weekday morning trains empty and keep them empty they might have a chance of controlling the spread of the virus.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

March 19, 2020: "The Tokyo 2020 will be held on schedule as planned."

April 7, 2020: Japan declares state of emergency.

Complete and utter ineptitude and denial on show.

Japan is unable to see and make a decision beyond three weeks.

The Olympics will be held. Now it’s an emergency; please stay inside but not everyone.

The US Embassy issued a warning to its citizens who are not long term in Japan to get out now while you can.

191 infected Saturday.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

There should be no reason for such negativity. Japan and Abe have been handling this pandemic better than their counterpart across the sea in Korea and China. 

@Miles - If I replied 'said no one ever', that would be incorrect, as you've just said it.

Have you ever thought that the doctors could be right? If your friend doesn't have a high enough fever it will most likely be the flu.

@Miles - Nope, the influenza tends to cause very high fevers. The Japanese doctor who dismissed the fever has probably already missed a few COVID-19 cases.

It may seem like any sign of illness is COVID 19 but this is the kind of mass hysteria which will only exacerbate a situation which is being handled with the classic calm and rational temperament of the people of Japan.

@Miles - You seem to have a lot of faith in Japan.. what do you know that the rest of us apparently don't?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

home centers, coffee shops with smoking rooms, parks with dog runs all full of people

minna yasumi dakara, asonde iru...Ma, people just feel free from work I guess

Strangely, I feel like there isnt any threat, but thats misleading

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If you do not test and do not make autopsy on dead people, of course the numbers look good.

Exponential contamination has happened worldwide where strict social distanciation was not applied.

Why should it be any different in Japan?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

London tube usage is down by 95% and bus by 85%. If that happens in Tokyo, I'll eat my hat.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Northernlife, it's not good for foreigners to come to Japan and tell Japanese people what to do. Wouldn't you agree?

It's fortunate for you then that he didn't tell anyone 'what to do'. Wouldn't you agree? And good advice is relevant no matter who it comes from. Wouldn't you agree?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Woo Hoo. First weekend under a State of Emergency which is voluntary and has no teeth to enforce. I feel so much safer now that J-Government is on top of things.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

March 19, 2020: "The Tokyo 2020 will be held on schedule as planned."

April 7, 2020: Japan declares state of emergency.

Complete and utter ineptitude and denial on show

Jeez, yes we have heard and read it here a thousand times already.

I went to Ginza area to pick something essential up, 80% of businesses closed and notable less ppl.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

quercetumToday 05:57 pm JST

Japan is unable to see and make a decision beyond three weeks.

The Olympics will be held. Now it’s an emergency; please stay inside but not everyone.

The US Embassy issued a warning to its citizens who are not long term in Japan to get out now while you can.

191 infected Saturday.

The US Embassy warnend its citizens in Japan but seems like they didn't so much in their own country....

191 today ?

187 thursday, 188 friday, 191 saturday

clearly it's a spike in the infection, exponential i'd rather say...

(waiting for 30 undervotes)

2 ( +12 / -10 )

quercetum...US embassy? and come back to America? over 2000 deaths a day ! not cases! and 500,000 cases?

Yeah, it’s get out while you can and a warning! Didn’t say to where though. A friend of mine decides to return early instead of June. He’s going back to New York but not Manhattan.

I guarantee they are massaging the numbers in Tokyo. 197 today in the Capital.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

The US Embassy warnend its citizens in Japan but seems like they didn't so much in their own country....

They all didn’t take it seriously. Governor Cuomo is the only one that is appealing and pleading. The others were wait and see. 197.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Japan acted so late, I pray for Japan but the numbers don't look good.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

On April 3 it is reported that there were 330 new cases in Japan.

April 10  it is reported that there were 600+ new cases in Japan.

The rate of new cases per day has increased by 82% in one week.

At this rate, on April 17 will we have 1,090 new cases in one day?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Of 1,224,775 currently infected patients in the world

1,174,862 (96%) are described as being in Mild Condition

49,913 (4%) are described as being in Serious or Critical Condition

Of the 1,710,338 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world

103,512 have died (6%)

382,051 are described as being recovered (22%)

Some posters here would have you believe that that is an acceptable state of affairs.

It isn't.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Bruce ChatwinToday 08:13 pm JST

Of 1,224,775 currently infected patients in the world

1,174,862 (96%) are described as being in Mild Condition

49,913 (4%) are described as being in Serious or Critical Condition

Of the 1,710,338 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world

103,512 have died (6%)

382,051 are described as being recovered (22%)

Some posters here would have you believe that that is an acceptable state of affairs.

It isn't.

All these number are at it's most just nothing more than indications and cannot be taken as facts. That counts for the US, China, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan or any other nation. So in Germany and Netherlands patients at elderly homes who suffer of the corona virus (and die at those elderly homes) are not taken in the official numbers. Only those hospitalized. It's similar in Italy or Spain.

For the best example of this 'fake news' number game take a look at the country of Equador. Where the official death toll is not even 5% of the real amount andwith so many dead that they burn the corpses in the streets.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

None sees (governement)

None says (Media)

None hears (Population)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@ doggar

You missed part of the story : he pointed to Japanese that Japanese staff on a Japanese store requested them to respect distance. And as he was in the receiving end of the break of rules, his nationality should not be of concern neither the one of the rules breaker.

@ Miles

the growth rate in Japan is more linear

You should review your curb.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Exponential.svg

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/

far more stringent standards of hygiene

It depend of what you refer to. For example, the Japanese system for bakery can be seen as dirty in other countries.

a respect for each other's personal spaces

Proxemics varies a lot in between countries. And, regarding the density in big Japanese cities, it will be most likely that people growing there will have a higher tolerance to smaller space compared to less dense area. And that even in between countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxemics

https://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/873645.sorokowska_et_al_2017.pdf

that can't be found anywhere else

Any studies to back it up or just racist belief ?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

quercetum..

Get out to where?

the moon?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Heard the foreign affairs ministry used AI data mining to find comment it deems counter to its agenda and argues to promote pro Abe line. They could have used the same tech to trace and test asymptomatic cases instead. We all read that there is a civil war between prefecture governors and the administration; where Abe is trying to weaken the "lock down". Thankfully for MOFA Trump is equally inept that it is distracting the world's gaze, for now.

Also for people talking about the numbers this and that. What were the numbers two weeks ago? Because the virus has an incubation period and what your seeing now reflects what happened 14 days ago.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/japans-covid-19-state-of-emergency-locks-down-criticism

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Stop requesting Uber Eats!

Common sense dictates that you don't know where they've been...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@RationalReader

"Calm down people. Japan 0.8 deaths per million, US 50 deaths per million, major European countries 120-350 per million. We are much safer here."

The low infection/death rates in Japan have been attributed to a lack of testing.

"The strict constraints on testing for the virus by Japanese health authorities have drawn accusations from critics, such as Masahiro Kami, towards Abe of wanting to "downplay the number of infections or patients because of the upcoming Olympics." Reports that only a small select number of public health facilities were authorized to test for the virus, after which the results could only be processed by five government-approved companies, has created a bottleneck where clinics have been forced to turn away even patients who had high fevers. This has led some experts to question Japan's official case numbers, with Tobias Harris, of Teneo Intelligence in Washington, D.C. stating "You wonder, if they were testing nearly as much as South Korea is testing, what would the actual number be? How many cases are lurking and just aren't being caught?"

(Source: - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Japan )

"...So why is the infection rate relatively low, given Japan’s proximity to China?

The main answer seems to be that Japan has not conducted extensive coronavirus testing, especially in comparison to countries such as South Korea and Italy, which have aggressively tested people for the virus..."

(Source: - https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-in-japan-why-is-the-infection-rate-relatively-low-133648 )

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The chance of Tokyo becoming another New York it London is slim.

Tokyo has 750 hospital beds for patients with infectious diseases.

Tokyo now has 1810 patients hospitalised with the highly infectious COVID-19.

Tokyo is now operating at 190% capacity in terms of beds for patients with infectious diseases.

It is reported that there were 1032 cases in Tokyo on April 5.

It is reported that there were 1902 cases in Tokyo On April 11.

The number of cases has increased by 84% in one week.

At this rate of increase, on April 18 will there be 3500 cases in Tokyo?

“We could empty out an entire ward and use it just for corona patients, but that means those patients (with other illnesses) will have to go elsewhere,” said a doctor specialising in infectious diseases at a major hospital in the greater Tokyo area. “If we can’t do that, it will lead to the virus spreading all through the hospital and lead to a collapse of our medical system.”

https://www.stopcovid19.jp/#en

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-japan-hospitals-in/running-out-of-beds-and-gear-tokyo-medical-staff-say-japans-state-of-emergency-already-here-idUSKBN21O0K4

Slim as a sumotori...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I keep hearing these call for more big brother, but what exactly do you want to the authorities to do? Curfew with military on the street, like in some fascist dictatorship?

I guess the following countries must be fascist dictatorships as they all have lockdown orders in place

 Australia

 Austria

 Belgium

 Denmark

 France

 Greece

 Ireland

 Israel

 New Zealand

 Norway

 Spain

 Taiwan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curfews_and_lockdowns_related_to_the_2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic

1 ( +1 / -0 )

smithinjapan

A state of emergency cannot be imposed in Japan. Europe or US style. The constitution prevents it. An example:

Article 11. The people shall not be prevented from enjoying any of the fundamental human rights. These fundamental human rights guaranteed to the people by this Constitution shall be conferred upon the people of this and future generations as eternal and inviolate rights.

And this is the link to the full text of the Japanese constitution.

https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html

In none of the 103 articles. There is a state of emergency law that can prevent this situation. In this case the government can only recommend to the population. It can never force or coerce people. Because it would be a legal offence to do so. And it would bring every government before a judge. And straight to jail.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Welcome to the world of Corona (and get used to it) !

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wonder if Koike-san's brilliant closing of izakaya's by 8PM is flattening the curve at all?

Well the number only went up by 1 but we'll have to see what happens over the next week.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Burning bush guys doesn't understand math at all I'm afraid. Let's take the Tokyo growth rate alone. Today's infections went from 1705 to 1902, for a growth of 11.6% from the previous day. Now it's silly to continue at the same rate for week after week, but since that's his argument....

1% of Japan's population is about 1.3 million people. 1902 people grows to almost exactly 1.3 million people in 60 days. 1902 x 1.116 ^ 60. Easy calculation. 60 days is not equal to 7 years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If indeed they were keeping the numbers low what would be the point of continuing it till now?

If they are manipulating it they should be inflating it now to frighten the people into isolating themselves .

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If Abe and others didn't drag their rears for so long they could have prevented the major outbreak. Now thanks to this unjustifiable lack of leadership it will be just like Canada or worse with packed hospitals and hundreds most likely thousands of deaths. Aside from China and Korea all major economies are putting the money ahead of their people and by doing so spending even more money, killing thousands and ruining their economies.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

good luck Tokyo, stay safe

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan had the virus earlier than most countries but has nowhere near the numbers of severely ill and deaths of other countries. Yet for most people it seems, Japan and the Japanese are the ones doing it wrong.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

RationalReaderToday 12:59 am JST Calm down people. Japan 0.8 deaths per million, US 50 deaths per million, major European countries 120-350 per million. We are much safer here.

That is the number of official death. Not the real or actual number of death. That number is much higher, most countries you can multiply the number of corona related death with 3 and the number infected multiply it by 10.

That is in nations as Germany, Italy or US, and so it also will be in Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Although the nearby Lalaport shopping centre has closed, and many (if not all) the IKEA branches around the world have closed (at least) their shop space, the HQ IKEA shop in Funabashi, Chiba is still open.

I had to contact the Sweden/USA offices to complain, as the Japanese site didn't even bother to host a customer service email, even an online contact form.

Absolutely disgusting.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@WilliB

"I don´t see what the problem with that is; it doesnt sound like close physical contact of many people in a subway or bar. Lets stay reasonable. Just a viral video of a cop in California chasing a guy who was jogging alone on an empty beach.... I really hope people do not want to reach that level of insanity."

Consider this below:

"Stay at least six feet from others at parks, beaches, and open spaces and you’ll be at low risk of contracting COVID-19...The more people concentrated in a single space, outdoors or not, the higher the risk of contamination...Activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, skating, and biking, where it’s easy to maintain a six-foot distance from other people, are considered safe and healthy, while any contact sport or social game (i.e., basketball, football, soccer) should be avoided..."

(Source:- https://www.fodors.com/news/national-parks/is-it-safe-to-visit-the-park-right-now )

Except the people I saw at the park were:

playing football/running together, close, as a group (large group of boys).

walking/jogging together, in close proximity, as a group (group of small children, and two adult females).

sitting together on park benches.

jogging, in close proximity to others.

walking (their dogs), in close proximity to others.

camping, in a tent, near others.

None of these people were 1.8 - 6 meters apart from anyone else, even though the park itself is large and the amount of people attending the park seemed less than usual.

Similar guidelines, including maintaining social distancing, for park use, is here:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-exercise-covid-19-guidelines-1.5509056
0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Peeping_Tom

"Why don't you send a very strong letter of protestation to the Swedes?"

Because scientific experts in Sweden have already publicly criticised their own government.

"...Swedish health professionals are increasingly expressing concern that the government may be favouring the health of the economy over that of the public. Leading experts last week were fiercely critical of the Swedish public health authority in an email thread seen by state broadcaster SVT, accusing it of incompetence and lack of medical expertise..."

(Source: - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/swedish-pm-warned-russian-roulette-covid-19-strategy-herd-immunity )

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Miles - What people don't seem to understand is that while COVID is seeing exponential growth in other countries, the growth rate in Japan is more linear thanks to far more stringent standards of hygiene and a respect for each other's personal spaces that can't be found anywhere else. The fear mongering of the media is only having a negative effect on the already fragile economy and this is the last thing the country needs.

Japan's Covid cases are increasing rapidly and every day there is a new record high of new cases. These standards of hygiene and respect for personal space do not apply to the millions of workers packed into trains five days a week. Japan was slow to act on preventing the spread of the virus due to clinging to the hope of the Olympics going ahead. It was only a matter of days after the announcement of their postponement Japan started to introduce Covid-19 strategies. Now, nearly a month after the announcement cases are still increasing. Just because the virus was slow to start in Japan does not mean Japan is safe from a major outbreak. The wheels are going to fall off very quickly when (not if) this virus fully takes hold in Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Social distancing is an alien concept in Japan and will not change in instant.

Just today whilst waiting in line to buy some furniture and holding a stool in front of me, a Japanese walked into one of the legs.The contact must have struck a nerve as he limped slightly,as he walked off.

Of course there was enough space between me and the adjoining wall not to make any type of contact but he chose to come as close to me as possible-a conscious or unconscious impulse, on his part, I have no idea...,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The rates going to go up before it goes down...especially since the restrictions just came into effect on Wednesday

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Yeah, "State of emergency" in name only. Everything still open if the owners choose it, with no penalties"

Sweden is "OPEN"!

"Sweden challenges Trump -- and scientific mainstream -- by refusing to lock down"

"https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/10/europe/sweden-lockdown-turmp-intl/index.html"

Why don't you send a very strong letter of protestation to the Swedes?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Brucce chatwin:

This calls for something more than the toothless "state of emergency" that we have now.

Like what exactly? I keep hearing these call for more big brother, but what exactly do you want to the authorities to do? Curfew with military on the street, like in some fascist dictatorship? Something else?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Well, it doesn't seem much of a conspiracy theory when a good portion of international media outlets are speculating exactly the same thing.

Yeh, because the media doesn't like a good government conspiracy theory... Give me a break.

The international media in particular keeps reusing the same headline about a "spike" in infections but offers no data as to how big the "spike" was or why it would be unnatural, so we're just supposed to take their word for it?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Of 1,224,775 currently infected patients in the world

1,174,862 (96%) are described as being in Mild Condition

49,913 (4%) are described as being in Serious or Critical Condition

Of the 1,710,338 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world

103,512 have died (6%)

382,051 are described as being recovered (22%)

Some posters here would have you believe that that is an acceptable state of affairs.

It isn't.

Covid-19 to not as deadly as other viruses like SARS and MERS, However, the problem is it has a long incubation period and more infectious. Therefore, if no containment measure is implemented when suddenly a large number of people get sick, that small number of patients needed hospital treatment can still overwhelm the health system of a city, an area or even a country. That is exactly what happened in Wuhan, Italy, Spain, UK and New York. I believe Japan should be all right due to a few factors. The chance of Tokyo becoming another New York it London is slim.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Paul laimal convoy:

There have been idiots, outside, everyday (weather permitting) at my local park, walking their dogs, playing together, sitting on benches together and jogging.

I don´t see what the problem with that is; it doesnt sound like close physical contact of many people in a subway or bar. Lets stay reasonable. Just a viral video of a cop in California chasing a guy who was jogging alone on an empty beach.... I really hope people do not want to reach that level of insanity.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japan was slow to act on preventing the spread of the virus due to clinging to the hope of the Olympics going ahead. It was only a matter of days after the announcement of their postponement Japan started to introduce Covid-19 strategies. Now, nearly a month after the announcement cases are still increasing.

Oh please, enough with the conspiracy theories. A virus spreads, that's what it does. Especially when people go out and have hanami parties. Strategies didn't come until much later and were in response to the increase in infections, and concerns from medical experts.

Furthermore, it's still as hard to get tested as it was before. People seem to acknowledge this, yet still bring out this conspiracy thing without any solid reasoning.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

His comment came as the United States was surging past 100,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, facing a critical lack of ventilators, masks and testing. Now it is more than 400,000.

And blaming China for not telling them sooner. Why doesn’t Japan blame China?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

dougthehead13Today 07:41 pm JST

smithinjapan

A state of emergency cannot be imposed in Japan. Europe or US style. The constitution prevents it. An example:

Article 11. The people shall not be prevented from enjoying any of the fundamental human rights. These fundamental human rights guaranteed to the people by this Constitution shall be conferred upon the people of this and future generations as eternal and inviolate rights

Guess japan follows constitution more stringently than all other democracies. For example, the US 1st Amendment guarantees free speech, religion, and press...completely. yet, the govt can imprison those who yell fire when there is none, ban holding church services during crises, and arrest those distributing communist pamphlets. It doesnt say within the law, it clearly states congress shall make no law regarding such. So bravo, japan.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

HeckleberryToday 04:21 pm JST

March 19, 2020: "The Tokyo 2020 will be held on schedule as planned."

April 7, 2020: Japan declares state of emergency.

Complete and utter ineptitude and denial on show.

Japan needs to close non-essential businesses, ban non-essential travel of their citizens and residents, stop restricting testing but offer it far and wide, identify those affected early, trace their contacts and isolate them.

If not, then Japan will end up like Italy and the US. This seems to be obvious to everybody but the leadership in Japan.

the virus didn't arrive yesterday in Japan but it's here BEFORE it arrived in Italy and USA

so how is possible that it "could end like Italy and USA" ??

the virus didn't spread in Tokyo during February and March cause it also was waiting to know if Olympic Games were postponend or not ?

now undervote me, virus experts

-5 ( +11 / -16 )

Even where the Edo meets the Tone there were loads of people out.

”Where the Edo *branches from* the Tone” would be more accurate ...

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

There should be no reason for such negativity. Japan and Abe have been handling this pandemic better than their counterpart across the sea in Korea and China. The histrionics of some people on this board makes me think how the general public tends to embrace any doom and gloom scenarios given out by the media no matter how absurd.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

What people don't seem to understand is that while COVID is seeing exponential growth in other countries, the growth rate in Japan is more linear thanks to far more stringent standards of hygiene and a respect for each other's personal spaces that can't be found anywhere else. The fear mongering of the media is only having a negative effect on the already fragile economy and this is the last thing the country needs.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Calm down people. Japan 0.8 deaths per million, US 50 deaths per million, major European countries 120-350 per million. We are much safer here.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Here’s the link:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

@LandOfTheLost Have you ever thought that the doctors could be right? If your friend doesn't have a high enough fever it will most likely be the flu. It may seem like any sign of illness is COVID 19 but this is the kind of mass hysteria which will only exacerbate a situation which is being handled with the classic calm and rational temperament of the people of Japan.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

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