Tokyo reports 1,050 new coronavirus cases; record-high 1,262 in Osaka

The whole world is vaccinating and the most of First World countries are starting re-opening everything. Japan is last, and it's a shame for the third economy in the world (it will not be such for a long time, if it keep going like that).

7,000 daily tests still? Wow.

Countries with the same population as the city of Tokyo are testing 300,000/day or more.

@falseflagsteve It’s the number of severe cases and deaths that matter not the actual cases.

No, number of actual cases do matter because the more a virus spreads the more mutations will be allowed to happen, increasing the chance that a more a serious virus emerges.

Nobody is locking me in my home of course, but people on this site demand that we go into strict lockdown which is not much different to being locked up

I’m pretty sure it’s quite different to being locked up.

falseflagsteve

@Zoroto

of course it’s similar, you are forced by law to stay in or be punished if you go out. That the draconian measures many want. Easier to deny that then face the facts I guess.

I'm one who's not denying it. Yes: THIS IS what I want. Properly strict measures for 2-3 weeks, and I'm sure we'd be out of this mess much sooner, than with these flimsy urges and recommendations, that do absolutely nothing about the virus situation.

I live in a busy, urban area in Tokyo, and really had to go and buy some groceries today. The supermarket is on the 1st floor of a shopping complex. Silly me, I thought we're under a state of emergency in Tokyo, and that clothing stores etc. would be closed: the whole place was open - the toy stores, the clothing stores, the sunglass stores, the stationery stores, etc- with clothing stores advertising their Golden Week sales, and people leisurely shopping around, eating in the restaurants, etc. The supermarket was perhaps the busies I've ever seen it. Simply hellish, and a reason why those "draconian measures" are desperately needed. (I really need to make sure I don't have to go there during a weekend/holiday again, not until the citizens of this nation have been vaxxed. )

Had to do some shopping and passed by a Starbucks on my way, thinking I might get a take-out coffee. Longer line than I've ever seen since it opened, with next to zero space between customers waiting, all seats full, including seats with visible "No sitting here. Social distancing" mats on the tables in front of them, most people with masks off as they ate, drank, and shouted between each other, and the whole place besides also packed (it's connected to a Keihan shopping mall, which was also open). Obviously, all the "pleas" and "suggestions" from the government do NOTHING, and they need to make laws to lock things down.

But, what is more likely is you'll get the transport minister saying that "It is clear that our restrictions have done little to reduce the number of new infections or serious cases, so I recommend fully opening the economy up and reintroducing local GoTo Campaigns as well as a nation-wide GoTo travel campaign," and then they'll blame it on young people drinking.

Honestly... what does the government here expect?

Stratman: "How's the State of Emergency working for you? We can't drink in restaurants or bars. Staff is out of a job yet infections are still up. Society needs a new method to beat Corona."

No, we just need to actually lock things down, like Australia, Taiwan, or other nations that are actually dealing with this well.

And yet, millions of vaccine doses sit unused in a freezer somewhere.

What is it going to take for these boneheads get things moving?

Look up the story of 高橋広夫 from Ishikawa-ken, as well. The poor man was only 42. He was left to die at home despite seeking help repeatedly, and they only found he was sick with COVID after he'd passed

Yeah and this case of the professor was worse in that he was judged by the phone operator to not have bad enough symptoms to warrant being referred to the official testing centre to get one of those gold plated PCR tests. So he was left to die.

A national enquiry should have ensured right then and there.

In the last wave, there was a lag of 10 days or so for Tokyo after the peak in Osaka. But this time, Osaka and Tokyo emergencies were declared on the same day. Last time, Tokyo's numbers were more than 2x Osaka's. I guess we will find out if the SOE has an effect on the hight of the peak. I really hope it does.

Easier to deny that then face the facts I guess.

The fact than you can go outside any time you like?

Go out and enjoy yourself, easier than getting all worked up about something that hasn’t happened.

Life is fleeting. Go out and live while alive.

I get it: in my neck of the woods I can safely follow your carpe diem nonchalance, but going out to "live while alive" in Tokyo or Osaka would feel more like Russian Roulette whereby a fleeting life could suddenly and unexpectedly come to a nasty end.

@Tora

Yeah and this case of the professor was worse in that he was judged by the phone operator to not have bad enough symptoms to warrant being referred to the official testing centre to get one of those gold plated PCR tests. So he was left to die.

A national enquiry should have ensured right then and there.

Indeed, it's downright criminal.

Maybe in my case one could argue I was refused because not as much was known about the virus as we know now. Even then, if you're claiming you're doing all you can to trace and contain, then it seems a pitiful excuse and an outright lie. But in the professor's case? We already knew there were far more symptoms than just the damned fever by that point, and yet he was left to die all the same - nothing has changed from the beginning.

Also "gold-plated PCR tests"....I love it!

Do t need a new method, what we need are the vaccines fast.

Marcelito - hear hear!

I guarantee that, regardless of what the (doctored) figures show, the commuter trains will be packed cheek by jowl again on Thursday after we drones have dutifully surrendered to the Fun Police for the second GW running.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't our figures much much worse than they were when the Five-Ring Circus was delayed last time?

So what's the issue? Stop pretending, cancel the Olympics and start vaccinating.

We will be paying for Abe's folly for the rest of our lives anyway - let's just cut out the biohazard nonsense and start the austerity generation. We all need to be healthy to keep grinding out our taxes to start paying this bill.

Problem is people just don’t care. Until they or a very close family member becomes deathly ill... everything will be okay .

 It is very shameful, Japan being considered a developed country, however, when it comes to medical treatment a third world country and I can say this from personal experience.

Hear, hear, Ashley!

Figures under control. Like a game strategy, you manage resources but you don't reveal what you have of plentiful (buyers to tax) or lacking (vaccines, medical staff) so no one can criticize openly.

I will send proposals to real journalists to investigate for the truth. That could bring gold to the media doing its job.

@falseflagsteve Or the virus can mutate to less deadly or we get herd immunity. 

Yes, I agree, but would rather not take the chance. Look what's happening in India with a leader who was banking on heard immunity.

Incorrect information - Only 2,943 were tested on 29th, not 7,903 (according to the data found in the link in the article and makes sense as was a holiday and on every Sunday it is under 3,000 tests)

@Happy Day

Ashley Shiba- are you saying people are dying from COVID at home because hospitals are refusing to treat them? That would be an utter disgrace. Though I cannot imagine a hospital would do that unless they run out of resources. That does not appear to be the case yet.

I believe that's what Ashley is trying to say.

When I was deathly ill with what was likely COVID-19, I was not only refused testing but repeatedly told to go home by all three hospitals I visited.

Even when I had to be taken by ambulance to the ER (I was in the ER twice over the course of a month) because I could barely walk or breathe, the doctors noted out loud how bad my condition was, but told me they couldn't test and/or admit me.

It's why even now I am extra careful, because I know the system has failed us, and it's very, very possible that you will not get the help you need if you get sick.

Look up the story of 高橋広夫 from Ishikawa-ken, as well. The poor man was only 42. He was left to die at home despite seeking help repeatedly, and they only found he was sick with COVID after he'd passed. His wife noted that if only they'd admitted him to the hospital, he could have been saved. I'm sure he's just one of many examples of those of us left to survive or die on our own without help or support.

It could well have been but last 3 day avg would be at 7715. Unless the article is corrected or clarified, this looks like postive rate of 35% from the Tursday-only results.

Skipp, Tora, and Crow- that’s a sad reflection of Japan’s medical system. Without knowing all the details of the cases, I would think there should at least be a process in place where those seriously ill can be identified and treated right away.

Also, I think this would call into question whether a doctor’s hyppocritic oath is being upheld.

Our hotel is great. Super clean and they care. 

Make sure to get out for a walk. You don’t want to feel like the walls are closing in.

Fresh air is important.

This does not look good for the golden week, worried about the numbers after the holidays end and the spreading becomes apparent.

Last weekend, I was around the Ginza and Shimbashi area. Near Shimbashi, I saw people in line for a PCR test around the block. On Friday morning, I saw that same location on the news discussing such long lines.

Ashley Shiba- are you saying people are dying from COVID at home because hospitals are refusing to treat them? That would be an utter disgrace. Though I cannot imagine a hospital would do that unless they run out of resources. That does not appear to be the case yet.

An example of a reported case:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210114/p2a/00m/0na/003000c

A journalist's own experience of Covid:

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14004691

There have also been articles on JT about people dying while "recovering at home" ie refused admission to hospital and denied treatment.

These mirror what @Ashley Shiba and @Skipp have stated. Seems like there's a definite pattern.

I am on my way back from work now, and I passed like always by Shibuya.

I saw some people in front of the hachiko exit with boards:

Stop PCR Tests. COVID is a lie!

Written in English.

And one Guy screamed in a Megaphone and told the people to throw away the masks.

Very....hmmm...interesting, strange, weird, I can not judge.

These people are obviously in a state of denial. They are probably living in their own little world, defiantly not the Real World. They are actually insulting the nations fine hardworking nurses.

Fines must be imposed.

Perhaps instead of writing "record numbers", it should be stated that 1200 cases is a miniscule amount compared to the 19 Million residents that live in Osaka. Media sensationalism is a BIG part of creating the vortex of hysteria!

It has indeed nothing to do with daily numbers, testing, vaccinations, gathering, drinking, whatever. Just put yourself for a moment on the other side of it all. The one and only thing that counts for you , now for a moment virtually a virus, is, if you can lock on any one of that damned cell spikes and ram your mRNA into human cells for own multiple replications or if you cannot. Now , return to yourself, because it’s back on you again if and how you consider to handle that what you just saw on the other side.

As soon as 50.1% don't worry s.o.e's media stories etc will all disappear. My guess is we are around 40% now

How did you arrive at 40%? My guess is at about 247%, maybe a trillion %. Is media coverage of Covid related to infection? Is there a new media-coverage related strain going around?

Tokyo reports 1,050 new coronavirus cases;

"cases", "cases". They might as well report about the daily "cases" of athlets foot; the infection mortality rate for those under 70 being the same, aka zero.

I wonder how long it took for symptoms to show within these Individuals, and what they were doing inbetween becoming infected and being found out ?

I wonder whether any of these folks requiring a lockdown or stricter restrictions or similar nonsense have actually experienced something of a kind. I did, ca. six months last year in Europe, military-medical dictatorship of the kind which would make Orwell turn in his grave. You are free to leave Japan for other areas you deem safer or lock yourself at the bottom of some cave or whatever ... but let other people live their lives. And no, lockdowns DO NOT work against the virus.

We live in parallel worlds, those consumed by corona and those that worry little or not at all.

As soon as 50.1% don't worry s.o.e's media stories etc will all disappear. My guess is we are around 40% now

Ashley Shiba- are you saying people are dying from COVID at home because hospitals are refusing to treat them? That would be an utter disgrace. Though I cannot imagine a hospital would do that unless they run out of resources. That does not appear to be the case yet.

Yet, what is the breakdown by age group are those in serious condition? Why is this rather pertinent data never published though the recent positive testees is ALWAYS published? Inquiring minds want to know!

How's the State of Emergency working for you? We can't drink in restaurants or bars. Staff is out of a job yet infections are still up. Society needs a new method to beat Corona.

Life is fleeting. Go out and live while alive.

And additional I dont want to stay home!

I also told many times I am going out and live my life, by doing my best personal prevention.

I am not looking for any excuse to go out.

If I want to go out, I go.

Learn to live with the virus, because it will never ever dissapear from this planet.

ZorotoToday 03:45 pm JST

up 352 from Friday.  

Up from 180 from last Sunday (20%)

Bad math. Try again

Our hotel is great. Super clean and they care. Hope all of the divers take care.

Had to do some shopping 

really had to go and buy some groceries 

All these comments sound like an excuse or alibi to me for going out.

Nobody needs to go out if he or she REALLY dont want to.

Everything can be ordered online and can be delivered to your home.

Sitting here in my tent, alone, enjoying some nice wine, thinking: some number of people apparently tested positive for a virus with a 99.xx % survivability rate. Yet some folks irrationally demand that other folks lock themselves indoors. Hmmm. Nope!

I am on my way back from work now, and I passed like always by Shibuya.

I saw some people in front of the hachiko exit with boards:

Stop PCR Tests. COVID is a lie!

Written in English.

And one Guy screamed in a Megaphone and told the people to throw away the masks.

Very....hmmm...interesting, strange, weird, I can not judge.

ifd66

Or the virus can mutate to less deadly or we get herd immunity.

Haven’t followed ‘numbers’ lately. So, Zoroto 3:45pm:

“Friday's numbers are irrelevant as ...

But no worry, numbers will be ...

After that, who knows... “ -

What you’re saying, “It’s ALL irrelevant”?

@Zoroto

of course it’s similar, you are forced by law to stay in or be punished if you go out. That the draconian measures many want. Easier to deny that then face the facts I guess.

@Bob Faus

Nobody is locking me in my home of course, but people on this site demand that we go into strict lockdown which is not much different to being locked up

Severe cases 63 down 2 from day before and people want us locked in like criminals over this? It’s the number of severe cases and deaths that matter not the actual cases. The risks are minimal, yet many people are losing their mind over Covid.