Tokyo, Osaka to lift nightlife curbs from Monday as virus cases plunge

The borders of the world's third largest economy remain shut to almost all foreign nationals, and mask-wearing is not mandatory but ubiquitous in public places.

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I’m waiting for the draconian measures to stop before I get on a plane to Japan..,

Four maskless people close together talking in an enclosed dining establishment for two hours next to many other groups of four maskless talkers coming and going is somewhat akin to a two-hour somewhat uncrowded Yamanote train ride with maskless people talking — except that the train has a flow of fresh air through the open windows.

Great news! Now open the borders and get the tourist economy back on track!

Natural immunity in action :)

This measure comes as a relief but needs to be accompanied by a proof-of-vaccination requirement. "Chuto-hanpa," as the Japanese say.

@ Jefflee won't happen .

danToday  07:13 am JST

@ Jefflee won't happen .

I'd like to share your optimism, but we'll have to wait till after the election.

In any case, it's good to see the restrictions ending.

Do it for the other prefectures as well please

So now we have to go to nomikais with coworkers again? No way

Exactly what I was thinking. As soon as they let up the emergency my company mandated we all be in the office 4 days a week and the 6am meeting started again. Now this smh....

the BBC have reported on a study in Scotland that has shown the vaccines to be 90% successful at stopping Delta variant deaths......so lets not hear any more fear stories about 26853987345673427th DELTA WAVE!!!!

Bin the stupid masks that did little anyway, open the bars and restaurants and lets get back on the bevvy......

"......Weird flex, given that respiratory droplets (you know, those droplets that carry the virus) are pretty much exactly the same size as dust particles and mold spores. So **now the masks work?....."**

errm...no they aren't.....fine respiratory droplets are sub-mircon size.....mold spores have a wide range of 3 to 40 microns and dust particles can be anything up to 5 microns.

Masks.....you know the paper ones that you have been wearing....have a protective efficacy ONLY of large droplet particles commonly associated with people coughing and sneezing (spitting too)...you know like those people WITH symptoms....and even then, they only MARGINALLY work. That's why Environmental workers don't just wear paper masks or homemade ones from their old Spongebob underpants. That's why virus researchers do not just wear paper masks. That's also why, DESPITE wearing masks, doctors and nurses still contracted the disease and died.......soooooo

Which experts? India only vaccinated 10% of their population and their similar 'Delta wave' just disappeared on its own.

If that's true then you're right, experts cannot ascribe the drop in cases in India to vaccinations.

Where'd you get that figure anyway, seems too low

A mysterious virus that appeared and then disappeared .

That's also why, DESPITE wearing masks, doctors and nurses still contracted the disease and died.......soooooo

You mean if masks work doctors and nurses shouldn't contract the disease at all?

you might want to keep the borders closed

I've got a feeling that foreign tourists won't be stepping foot on Japanese soil until 2024.

I was out last night and it was nice to see things getting back to normal, people enjoying themselves.

Of course cases will rebound as a result of relaxation of restrictions but I hope not by much and within manageable levels.

People deserve this, I'm happy to hear people are enjoying themselves.

"Over 370,000 foreigners waiting to enter Japan due to COVID curbs"

I am so getting out of here for a few months the day the restrictions are lifted on people coming in.

considering breathing is essential for homeostasis, 

Not to mention living

masks worn for extended amounts of time on a daily basis seems to me an ineffective approach to optimum health, both physiologically and psychologically,

Not wearing a mask is definitely not an effective approach to optimum health during this pandemic.

If majority of people believe as you do we'll probably haveba lot more cases and deaths

Yeah just that initial surge is going to be hellish for Japan residents.

Oh, It will be back, just like other countries

I’m a betting man. I’d say it’s odds-on.

Thankfully, the useful members of society are vaccinated and have put Japan in stronger position to deal with another wave.

I hope all people, vaccinated and useless, appreciate the people who put Japan in this position.

Respect is due to the majority for giving those worst hit by this pandemic a chance to put their businesses back on track.

Glad to see gradual lightening of restrictions, but I don't think I will risk exposure just yet. I miss going out to eat as much as anyone, it's been years now since the last time, but for me that can wait until the virus seems well and truly defeated here. I'd sooner be patient now than just deal with a constant relapse again and again.

Masks, worn by medical personnel are typically N-95, along with other precautions.

N-95 masks have an efficiency of 95% in blocking-out the virus.

Those who advocate against wearing masks are ill-informed and cite bogus rationales not based on any element of fact. There are peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals that have determined masks are highly effective.

Wearing an efficient mask prevents the spread of SARSCoV-2 - this is achieved by eliminating the transmission of respiratory drops from the masked individual. Folks who don't wear a mask, if infected, are a disease vector - when they exhale, the virus travels up to at least two meters.

During flu season, masks are worn to prevent the wearer from spreading influenza. Same principle. Examine the statistics on influenza last winter, the numbers are reduced, such is the impact of mask wearing.

Masks do prevent the virus from entering the airways, but are not 100%. However, if all are masked the efficiency is very high.

Good news, but definitely not letting my guard down.

Why? Because 360,000 foreigners waiting to enter Japan also means waiting to enter almost every single place that you go or think to go. Along with the local population that is already waiting there too.

everything you ride or think to ride. Just waiting for that magical date. Gonna be chaos similar to what the Olympics might have been.

So there is a vaccine mandate for travel now to where i might go?

People can find a nice place to enjoy yakitori . . . .

Japanese government, please make sure u are accurate, you are dealing with human lives.

Masks, vaccines, and the countermeasures worked

That's what's supposed to happen

Japan is catching up as one of the most vaccinated nations on Earth

Although Japan's vaccine drive started later than in many other developed economies, around 68 percent of the population are now fully inoculated

68% fully vaccinated - thank goodness for these people

Does anyone get it? This is right before the elections next week. The ruling class wants to keep their power. They probably also ordered a lowering of the cycles level that the PCR tests are run, so as to produce less false positive readings that propelled the #s. If the cycles are run are 35 or higher, as they were in the USA, then the false positive readings are between 95-97%.

@FreedomLives! : Well, there may well be a connection to the Election next week - But its reasons like you give that make a lot of us just laugh at you? Its just more OTT conspiracy nonsense. Do you really think that you could get away with 'ordering' the lowering of cycles on PCR tests could actually happen? I'd buy more into a theory that they just weren't doing any tests! Conspiracy theorists like yourself just come up with ridiculous stories on a daily basis. Our bulk of anti-vaxxer posters have gone quiet as they have effectively been proved wrong ( for the moment) - you will now notice a simple response of 'other reasons' for the decline in cases from them.

Also @FreedomLives!: I should point out that earlier in the year, you were throwing out some wild theory that PCR tests themselves were infecting people with the virus intentionally! I think we can safely disregard any input from you.

Another sign that elections are right around the corner. One is the magical unexplainable infection numbers. Two is it will be illegal to criticize people on the Internet. Three the nightlife rules are being lifted.

It is still too early to take our guard down.

Joeintokyo

We all know that Japanese have added immunity when food, drink or a cigarette is in front of them, so masks are not needed.

In our planet, when we drink or eat, we remove masks. Which planet did you come from?

@Dango bongOct. 22  08:16 am JST

So now we have to go to nomikais with coworkers again? No way

Exactly what I was thinking. As soon as they let up the emergency my company mandated we all be in the office 4 days a week and the 6am meeting started again. Now this smh....

time for a new job mate, can’t take it with ya.