Many prefectures fear coronavirus influx from big cities during Golden Week

According to the Coronavirus Worldometer website: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

Japan's test rates is 1,449 per million people as opposed to 25,000 per million in Australia.

Poor effort Japan!

If only Japan had the balls to impose strict enforceable fines for gathering in groups of more than 2 people and making non-essential travel like in Australia though our infection rates are roughly equal. I guess Japan's test rates are low

yes, they should be worried.

the medical system in those rural areas are bare minimum.

sometimes, people need to think about others, this is the time.

do you really need to go vacation during this pandemic ?

if you miss one golden week, is it so terrible.

these people need to wear " I am with stupid" t shirts

Here in New Zealand our Prime Minister tells us this.

We will do our bit. You do what we advice, then we will get through this quite quickly. YOUR CALL!

So far we have had 5 weeks at Level 4 (the highest)

& days ago , we dropped to level 3. (2 weeks)

In 7 days if we behave well as a nation, we will drop to level 2.

Firm incisive informative daily information, pushes us to conform. So far, so good.

Well Done Us !!!!!

Rural Japan has largely avoided the worst of the novel coronavirus and is going to great lengths to keep it that way during the Golden Week holiday period.

Rural is even worst regarding testing so the numbers of infected are even lower.

I came across a rather unfortunate Japanese Family in my local area today... their Eldest son wasn't wearing a mask, within a crowded shopping area, although the other Family members were, and he was making a point of coughing outwardly without making any attempt to cover up.... I guess he was frustrated - it didn't sound like a Corona-virus Cough. Though, it was not surprising that others around them were quickly walking in the other direction... Please remember, Teenagers are difficult to deal with at the best of times, and this situation is certainly proving more trying that others. For those families with them, hang in there... there are others out here who understand what you're going through.

WRT the payment system in Japanese Hospitals and the National Insurance scheme. I have first hand knowledge of this matter - particularly during Golden week. And if anyone wishes to disagree - good luck upon you - I hope you fair better. And I hope you don't find yourself in a similar pickle to the one I faced, though if you do, no hard feelings, please do reach out to me, and I will try my best to give advice based upon my own experience. Can't offer you more than that.

The woman was turned away from two hospitals due to fears she could have the virus before finally being taken by ambulance to a third hospital where she was admitted and gave birth, and also tested negative for the coronavirus.

"We made the call in part because our operating room and delivery room aren't equipped to deal with the virus,"

What the...

This is disgraceful. Instead of performing its duty of care, two hospitals decided to presume a lady in labour might have the virus based on nothing but her place of residence. What kind of medical professionals would do such a thing?

GW is definitely not the time to get sick and end up in Hospital, if you do, then you will have to pay 100% the bill, and claim 70% back afterwards from your Health Insurance Company...really stupid way of doing things - especially if you haven't got the free cash to hand,

I see you’re obviously new to Japan, if you don’t have free cash (or at least tell them you don’t), then you don’t pay anything until they send you a bill about 8 months later. If you don’t pay that bill you’ll get another in a few months. It’ll be a year before you “need” to pay anything back.

GW is definitely not the time to get sick and end up in Hospital, if you do, then you will have to pay 100% the bill, and claim 70% back afterwards from your Health Insurance Company..

What? That’s not how the Japanese system works. What are you talking about?

"We made the call in part because our operating room and delivery room aren't equipped to deal with the virus," said Kenji Kainuma, a senior staff member at Iwate Prefectural Chubu Hospital, one of the hospitals that refused to admit her.

Now, if this is true, then that would be the only, and I repeat only, reason why I wouldn’t be going after this hospital. Because I just heard last night from my mother, that there was someone who had the virus in a hospital, and show no symptoms of it, unknowingly infect the entire staff. Or at least the water was in apparently.

So there is some merit to why they did what they did. But if that isn’t true, then the hell with them, they really are heartless.

@smith

better to watch eu ( 20 some countrys ) tv

the technology is here but who wants to go out of area these days.

Herd immunity, nothing to see or get outraged over here folks.

Went out to do some grocery shopping and during our short time out we saw quite a few cars from other prefectures including Osaka, Tokyo, and Chiba. It might not seem like anything but I’m down in southern Kyushu.... not exactly a day trip.

Good move,

Those who are responsible citizens will follow the rules as always, and Those who are NOT will do completely the opposite as always, just to stand out and assert their wazzock.

The woman was turned away from two hospitals due to fears she could have the virus

This is grossly negligent! She broke no law by going there. On the other hand, hospitals have a duty-of-care.

Disgusting, myopic attitudes.

GW is definitely not the time to get sick and end up in Hospital, if you do, then you will have to pay 100% the bill, and claim 70% back afterwards from your Health Insurance Company...really stupid way of doing things - especially if you haven't got the free cash to hand,

Looks like I'll need to take the back roads...

Therein lays the biggest problem with the way Japan is dealing with the spread of the virus. It is a national pandemic and should be treated as such, regardless of how many cases in each area. Only a national effort will rid Japan of this virus. Some fines for violators of the distancing restrictions wouldn't hurt either.

Last night on one of those stupid variety shows where one person stands up and seems to be talking to a bunch of people who act like they know nothing and just marvel at it all, some guy was talking about how Osaka only had 10 new infection cases reported, and a couple of the usual nationalists in the group were like, "Sungoi, ne! Nippon ganbatteru, ne!" Fortunately at least ONE guest had the wisdom to ask, "Could it have anything to do with it being Sunday and GW, and that Japan doesn't have so many tests available." Suddenly not so "sungoi", especially Osaka, where hospitals that were open were refusing people.

I always found it ridiculous that hospitals here run on business hours, so that if you get sick or injured on GW, even without a pandemic, you're screwed.

You mean the "suggestions" to stay where they are were not enough? Who'd a thunk it?

I walked to the supermarket last night, there were only 4 cars in the carpark.

Not where I live. Car parks packed. I tend to avoid supermarkets in the early mornings. It's ok in the late evenings, but all the fresh stuff is gone.

@Lamilly it seems the message got to central Okayama as well... I walked to the supermarket last night, there were only 4 cars in the carpark. I also saw trains running empty. That is anecdotal only... I would love to compare Google and Apple's movement data from before, during and after Golden Week.

It’s a cultural thing as usual rather than something they can use their common sense for. Golden week means going back to your hometown, virus or no virus, cockroach or not.

Too many stupid people ignoring the warnings...we're gonna be in it for a long time at this rate

Test first, ask questions later.

Heartless health care system set up by gutless govt and administered by uncaring money hungry boards.