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Japan more likely to completely end state of emergency on Monday

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Remarkable indeed. The envy of the world. The feel-good magic cool-aid is what we need to start the day.

Ok lets look at the numbers.on the 21st the welfare center received 951 inquiries and 89 people were tested and among the 89 tested maybe some had already tested negative since one has to test negative twice to be cleared.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Remarkable indeed. The envy of the world. The feel-good magic cool-aid is what we need to start the day.

I'm sure that the numbers are far higher than the official stats, but as far as I can tell, hospitals are not over flowing and the death rate is not well above normal levels.

I don't know why Japan has been so little affected, but it appears to have been.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

I'm sure that the numbers are far higher than the official stats, but as far as I can tell, hospitals are not over flowing and the death rate is not well above normal levels.

This is where I'm at too. It does seem that Japan has tested quite little in comparison to other nations, yet with other nations that have done little testing we've seen an explosion in deaths. Japan doesn't really seem to have seen that same result.

I don't know why either. I suspect it's because Japanese people wear masks quite often already, and don't scream about how the use of one has given up their entire rights as a human being. And they also don't have a lot of physical contact like hugging, nor handshaking. It could be something different though, like a specific vaccine they mostly receive in school, or something dietary.

Nevertheless, the explosion of deaths that I was worried about don't seem to have come around. Which, is probably just luck, in that Japanese culture had something that naturally slowed the propagation of this virus. But luck or not, I'm glad.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

Heat, humidity and sunshine weaken the virus drastically.

I've heard people theorize that will happen. I haven't seen anything that's concluded it actually will though.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Good for them!

It goes without saying the naysayers will come up with reasons such as lack of testing, government coverup, so on.

Time to move on and open up the economy.

11 ( +20 / -9 )

A lot of people have changed their opinions on here recently. As people can now see, Japan has done an excellent job in controlling the virus, unlike England and the US, where there were many more cases.

-1 ( +10 / -11 )

That's good news, but 3 new cases out of how many tests? 4? 500? 20,000?

More context would be useful with this kind of statement.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

I lived in America. I saw people often hugged kissed pets and of course each other. They didn't take off shoes in house. There are always all kinds of bacteria and virus on dirty floor. Kids drop little food (they don't like) off the table. Pets eat it and also lick that often. So pets would infect people and they infect each other. Infection would be pandemic all over.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

2 things come to mind as to why Japan escaped relatively unscathed: people are generally much healthier here and personal/public hygiene is much better. The obesity level here doesn’t even come close to the US/UK levels. And Japan actually spends a lot of money keeping public things clean.

any other possibilities out there?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Very nice news.

Hopefully from Monday Tokyo will reopen.

Where are all the "lets wait another 2 weeks"-posters?

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Good Morning Monty! Excellent news. Yes, at best we could be on the way back to at least a new normal in the week. Oh! Yes, noticed that too. Some people missing this morning.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

We need more testing!! Im glad those head in the sand dolts are no longer on here posting.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

2 things come to mind as to why Japan escaped relatively unscathed: people are generally much healthier here and personal/public hygiene is much better. The obesity level here doesn’t even come close to the US/UK levels. And Japan actually spends a lot of money keeping public things clean.

any other possibilities out there?

I think the absence of big events from February has been a big driver to, next to masks and less hugging/handshaking.

In Germany and Austria, a big driver were parties in Ischgl and the carnival as well as thee beer fest in Bavaria: all events with a lot of singing, loud talking and basically spitting in each others mouth. There is a theory that the amount of virus transmitted plays a role on how sick you can get. All this seemed to not happen in Japan: natural social distance, masks, few big events.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I really need to learn how to use the quote function...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

fa477279Today  09:43 am JST

We need more testing!! Im glad those head in the sand dolts are no longer on here posting.

So you mean more testing is useless? How? Wouldn't it be useful for a clearer view of the outbreak, and to avoid potential new clusters in the future?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Without testing the numbers will be low... making any narrative as to why the numbers are low moot and nothing but baseless assumptions.

If Japan had tested like other nations do and the numbers are low

It would have helped.

The virus is not killing in Africa or even India as was predicted depite all the reasons being parroted here for Japan not being practised.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

As far as we can tell, most of East Asia has done quite well - so far - in battling the virus. It is not just a "Japan got lucky" situation as some are stating. So far, deaths per million attributed to Covid-19-

Taiwan : 0.3 deaths/million

Hong Kong : 0.5

South Korea: 5

Japan : 6

(I'm not including dubious figures from Communist China or North Korea)

Taiwan is truly leading the way for the world. This is reason enough why they absolutely MUST be in the WHO as a leader, NOW. The US and UK have done appallingly, and still are. Those nations are not benchmarks to compare against.

This pandemic a long, long way from over.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

any other possibilities out there?

Yes. That the health systems there were/are pressured to report deaths as COVID-19 even when it was just an underlying cause among more serious factors. I'm glad Japan didn't go down that route and calls a spade a spade. Some doctors have come out about this.

In the case of the US, it was reported on a news channel that kickbacks are paid out to hospitals for each positive test and death. On top of that, the hospitals were fed bad information from the WHO and CDC and reacted accordingly. These organizations are ethically compromised and are clearly (at least the WHO is) in bed with big money. This is not conspiracy theory.

Some of us have been pleading with the general public to look through the media hype and see that this whole thing has not been right since day one. Much to all of our detriment, that has not happened.

The fear and gullibility of people in general has caused catastrophic economic damage, the full extent is yet to be realized. We won't bounce back anytime soon and the worst is yet to come.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Yesterday around 7 PM the Life supermarket in Nakano Sakaue suddenly had an announcement that they would be closing since it was discovered that a staff member had tested positive for the coronavirus. My friend was in the supermarket at the time.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Heard one theory that some think green tea has an effect in preventing such viruses. Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam) has largely avoided large numbers of death. Any thoughts?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

At this level of cases the Olympics will just about be possible but quarantine going both ways will not be an easy call for many..

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Because of the truthfulness of the pandemic in Japan has been 100% so far, I totally agree with this news! Its amazing the way CoronaVirus has been handled in Japan! Its a miracle and we all need to believe that no matter what, dreams really do come true.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I am getting tired of always the same thing: lack of testing, lack of testing...

That is not related to the reopening.

Look at Germany, America, Italy, Spain..they are doing a lot of testing, many many tests every day, (Many posters here always compare Japan with other conutries and complain about Japan's test numbers)

BUT...

now these other countries with many many tests are re-opening too!

In Germany, Beergardens are already open and my friends and many other germans joined already!

Of course people are following the sanitary and prevention rules which are set by those places.

The same thing will also be in Tokyo!

People will follow the recommended prevention actions which will be set by each place.

Tokyo people are not stupid! They will not walk around or join places like idiots without any prevention measures.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

That the health systems there were/are pressured to report deaths as COVID-19 even when it was just an underlying cause among more serious factors.

Over-reporting of deaths in the US or Europe seems to me more plausible than under-reporting or mass hiding in Japan. Otherwise one can hardly explain a huge divergence in both cases and death numbers by one hundredth.

As majority victims are very old people (having shorter life expectancy regardless of the infection) or those with pre-existing health problems, it is hard to say how much Covid 19 is responsible for their deaths. Terminally ill people often die of "complications" with no clear leading cause.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

BUT!!! How many people were tested????

There are three confirmed new cases. Three out of how many? 5? 50? 500? 5,000? The entire population of the greater Tokyo region, 26 million? Without quoting how many people were tested this report is just media sensationalism and borderline malarkey!

2 ( +10 / -8 )

@blowzen

There was never an outbreak to begin with here. There was never a large cluster to begin with. My point being, everyone kept saying that the deaths and cases were artificially low because there was inadequate testing and once that was corrected we would see the real numbers. Turns out the virus never hit Japan hard at all, irregardless of testing.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Give the Japanese credit where credit is due. As a nation they have overwhelmingly taken the necessary precautions. Virtually everyone is wearing a facemask, washing their hands regularly and respecting social distancing. If the USA and Trump had implemented this then there would have been less deaths. Trump's trade policies and pressure on China should be commended but his lack of leadership on Corona is worrying!

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Let me help give the reasons as to why Japan seems as to have done better.

Japan from the onset and till today has been bent on preventing and not overwhelm the medical system by concentrating on clusters and not testing widely which would have by law entailed everyone testing positive being hospitalised taking up valuable limited resources .

The basic principle of combatting a viral pandemic that has not changed and is being practised till today is to Test, Track and Isolate which is like a double edged knife if not practised correctly as it can lead to the medical system being impacted if every case is hospitalised or help prevent the spread if the mild cases are isolated and monitored.

We know that over 80% of those infected are mild cases and asymthomatic cases. So what are the pros and cons of not testing, the biggest benefit is that the medical system is not impactec since only a small number of cases are detected and only the serious cases can be hosptalised and cared for. Not testing risk that the mild and asymthomatic cases will spread the virus both in the house and in the community without knowing. The virus has shown to be very infectious and as seen with every country that tested massively the numbers have been high even Singapore a small nation of 6M people showed daily infection exceeding 1000 despite doing what Japan is credited for and even better, thereby making some reason given for Japan moot and sounding more like nihonjinron.

Testing widely helps to understand the extend of the spread of the virus and give credence to the numbers.

You cannot go fishing with a hook and just because the number of fishes caught is reducing as the days go by and comparing with someone using a fishing net.

Japan seems to have done better by just judging from the numbers and we know the lack of testing despite numerous cases of people infected being refused testing will always be a dent on the numbers and without data on deaths from other diseases to make a comparison, I think it is too early for the jury to be out.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Burning Bush - Anybody who displays Covid symptomology is getting tested

I guess the facts that the virus can incubate for up to two weeks and most people who carry the disease do not develop symptoms are irrelevant.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Anybody who displays Covid symptomology is getting tested.

Few people are getting tested because few people are showing Covid symptoms.

I guess you just got up from your long sleep and missed the numerous complains from even some on this board being refused testing even with clear symtoms.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

I said it here on JT back in March and severally since that time: Japan would do fairly if not quite well in combatting the worst of this virulent SARS-CoV-2.

@Fighto: That is an interesting table highlighting the fact that East Asia countries have per capita very low death rates. Taiwan is the best performing country bar none!

The so-called **successful S.Korean numbers are pretty much on par with the Japanese at 5 and 6 per million people, respectively! **

Japan, don't rest on your laurels.

Great job, Japan!!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Well done Japan.

More testing will probably mostly reveal more asymptomatic cases rather than deaths, which are probably near 100% recorded. Thus, more testing will reduce the death ratio figure.

Time to get the country back to normal, with increased practise of high standards of hygiene and sanitation and protection of those vulnerable to such viruses.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Yeah right since when did everyone start believing this government oh thats right when it fits their agenda...

But hey who cares the herd is happy and will start grazing again soon..

Very true.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Drlucifer let's not start sucking each others lollipops just yet, that's what the govt wants you to think. Then everything opens back up, it's crowded everywhere and there will be a spike in deaths.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Concerned citizen, yes indeed, well done Japan, let's not report the real number of cases and lull the public into thinking it's safe, open the country back up and kill more people.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

@Doggar

What you are saying, people are saying this since 5 months.

But the reality proves everyone wrong!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The US and UK have done appallingly

Having Trump and Johnson as the leaders of those two countries hasn't helped. And it's no coincidence why Brazil and Russia are doing badly when you look at the leaders there.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Then everything opens back up, it's crowded everywhere and there will be a spike in deaths.

If this was true then what have kept them from dying two months ago when SOE had been declared?

Basically there should have been a spike after three weeks into the SOE and after it would level out since there was much lower rate of people going on with their normal life.

The second wave is surely to come but we don't know if the virus will become more deadly or more inert through mutation.The dice can roll either ways.

Can you doomsday mongers place a lid since the numbers themselves contradicts your claims.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Life to you people has become numbers, just like wartime. Even if Japan has low numbers, think of the actual person who has died and their family. Go ahead, join trump and congratulate japan.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Where are all the "lets wait another 2 weeks"-posters?

You have heard of people being turned away by hospitals? Blatantly refusing to perform postmortems to determine if people died from corona? Hello??

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Merely an observation; I went for my bike ride this morning and the crowds I saw were pretty big. Several people in stores and close proximity to others without masks, etc.

Japanese citizens and residents did a very good job (if course with a few exceptions) when the Government requested cooperation. The decrease in people visiting parks, etc. was quite good.

I am really truly hoping that people still take common sense precautions, while gradually restarting their lives, so that a 2nd wave does not come. The numbers may be improving but it does not mean the virus will just disappear. It will be very tempting (especially with good weather before the tsuyu) for people to go out into crowded areas.

We will maintain personally (and in my business) precautionary measures into June. It does not mean we will not continue on with life; we will just wait until there is further evidence that this is subsiding. We are older as well and probably in a bit higher risk category.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

if Abe had done the right thing and arrested all the joggers and people enjoying Hanami parties 

In what universe is arresting people for jogging and flower viewing the "right thing?"

1 ( +3 / -2 )

In the West, those that died WITH the virus were counted along with the ones who died OF the virus. Guess where autopsies are performed. Surprise, surprise, in rooms filled with the virus.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Heat, humidity and sunshine weaken the virus drastically.

Like in Brazil? Oh, wait...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

In what universe is arresting people for jogging and flower viewing the "right thing?"

Putin's Russia, apparently. Certainly not Japan.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Ok lets look at the numbers.on the 21st the welfare center received 951 inquiries and 89 people were tested and among the 89 tested maybe some had already tested negative since one has to test negative twice to be cleared.

Those numbers are remarkable for a number of reasons.

How come less than 10% of people making an inquiry are allowed to be tested? The health authorities should be well aware that symptoms and disease progression with this virus varies greatly from person to person. Also, why not increase monitoring in order to mitigate a second wave? If anything, allowing people a test may relieve some anxiety. 951 tests in one day should be at a level that Tokyo can easily manage.

Less than 1000 inquiries is remarkable. I find that to be an extremely low number. It could suggests that Tokyo is controlling the spread very well. Or have people have given up even trying to be tested? Or perhaps think that a positive diagnosis will put them through so much trouble that staying silent is worth the risk? Stigmatization and ostracism are well known issues in Japan...

On the upside, if the 3 positive results that came back from Tokyo yesterday are out of about 90 tests, the infection rate has dropped by a huge amount! But then again, how many of those 90 tests are from people that are already in hospital and have already tested positive? Remember that the 3 positive cases are newly confirmed cases.
-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Too slow and too late, but better than nothing.

Possibly assisted by the CDC issuing their new estimate of fatality rate - 0.26%. 0.0325% among under 50 year olds.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Those numbers are remarkable for a number of reasons.

How come less than 10% of people making an inquiry are allowed to be tested? The health authorities should be well aware that symptoms and disease progression with this virus varies greatly from person to person. Also, why not increase monitoring in order to mitigate a second wave? If anything, allowing people a test may relieve some anxiety. 951 tests in one day should be at a level that Tokyo can easily manage.

Less than 1000 inquiries is remarkable. I find that to be an extremely low number. It could suggests that Tokyo is controlling the spread very well. Or have people have given up even trying to be tested? Or perhaps think that a positive diagnosis will put them through so much trouble that staying silent is worth the risk? Stigmatization and ostracism are well known issues in Japan...

Still cherry picking, not looking at the total amount of death which IS THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEAR!!

You can't fake the number of death either since they are closely connected with life insurance in which life insurance companies are required to announce the amount of premiums they had paid out to insurance holders to the stock owners.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

n what universe is arresting people for jogging and flower viewing the "right thing?"

Putin's Russia, apparently. Certainly not Japan.

Not to mention China, the USA and the UK, among others. As much as I despise Abe and his cronies, I am glad they showed some restraint and respect for human rights here. Granted, it may have been to cater to business lobbyists, but at least we were spared the fascist oppression of being arrested for taking a walk.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Well said, Commanteer!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Abe was right (me too), and most everyone else on this board was wrong. Cheers.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

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