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Fewer people on streets of Japan's major cities amid stay-at-home requests

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I live a few minutes walk from a popular cherry blossom viewing area. It was very busy yesterday, but today it’s packed. I had to detour to avoid the area, no possibility of social distancing at all. The message isn’t getting through, the constant focus on Tokyo is making others elsewhere thinking these isn’t a problem in their area.

19 ( +21 / -2 )

Local park in East Osaka was pretty busy as usual. Kids and families enjoying the lovely day, sports, BBQs, fishing, a few hanami picnics. Groups of up to a dozen.

Zero social distancing.

19 ( +19 / -0 )

Just went to the supermarket in Meguro/Naka Meguro, people everywhere.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

Not where I live. Traffic volume same as normal. Pachinko parlors just as busy.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

False information to make people believe the lockdown is working, so they can fudge the numbers some more.

That is not true from Meguro to Ikebukuro!

14 ( +20 / -6 )

Not in Yokosuka. It’s business as usual: heavy traffic, families in parks, people sitting in restaurants. I went out to get groceries at the local store, since the US Navy in our area has us sheltering in place. A group of 7 people outside my window chatting with their dogs; construction workers building houses. You would never know there is a worldwide pandemic killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world. It’s frightening and surreal.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

I am starting to believe that Japan sees this epidemic as an us versus them situation. As long as I stay around other Japanese (they are all so clean), I will be safe.

No hear no testing, no speak no testing, no see no testing = Safety Japan!

13 ( +17 / -4 )

No need to worry. Some shops are closed on Sunday (but open again Monday). Problem solved.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

In my opinion, the biggest problem is the night life. That's where I think the lockdown should focus. Bars, clubs, restaurants, pachinko, karaoke, yakatabune need to closed. The number of younger people (20s to 50s) being infected is increasing and they are the ones frequenting nightlife areas.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

The message isn’t getting through, the constant focus on Tokyo is making others elsewhere thinking these isn’t a problem in their area.

The only people in Japan that I know taking it seriously are the US military because of the problems at home! Japan seems to be in a state of denial! Fukushima all over again!

10 ( +16 / -6 )

Of course the streets of Tokyo are deserted!

Everyone went to enjoy Hanami!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

I hope that photo of Ginza isn’t supposed to prove anything. Many of the people there have usually been Chinese tourists.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

This should NOT be a weekends only thing!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I just watched a documentary on ABC Australia about how Singapore was doing such a good job containing the virus and was praised by WHO as a good model for other countries to follow. At the end of the program it says the situation is getting a little worried as overseas Singaporian were returning to the country. Then I google the latest news online and find this:

https://www.livemint.com/news/world/singapore-announces-1-month-lockdown-amid-rising-corona-cases/amp-11585905344421.html

Singapore announces one-month lockdown

2 min read . 03 Apr 2020

Most workplaces, except for essential services, will close starting Tuesday

The action comes as confirmed cases of local transmission in the country have risen in recent weeks

Even with extensive testing, strict isolation, near detective style contact tracing, after reaching 1,114 cases, 6 death, population of 5.6 million Singapore has decided to play it safe and folded it cards.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

In my opinion, the biggest problem is the night life. That's where I think the lockdown should focus. Bars, clubs, restaurants, pachinko, karaoke, yakatabune need to closed. The number of younger people (20s to 50s) being infected is increasing and they are the ones frequenting nightlife areas.

Yeah, there are a lot of small mom and pop izakayas like you see in the Golden Gai or under bridges like Yurakucho with very few seats in my neighborhood.

They have been packed and last night especially!

Somebody will definitely get the "rona".

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Neighborhood pachinko parlor here in Miyazaki busy as usual.

Lots of bbq and pic-nic groups for sakura parties along the Oyodou River.

Oh yeah, people are listening.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I happen to live a few blocks from a top 100 Sakura viewing spot. Cars parks were packed with cars from all over. I might expect a spike in Covid-19 cases in Miyagi the week starting 19th of April. Oh wait, we don't test..., as you were! Nothing to see here!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Only six people in my carriage on the way to Osaka at 16.16

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Guess it doesn't apply to everyone. There are people everywhere even in the parks near Ginza, Yokohama docks are full, the stores are buzzing and last night didn't seem any different either. I have friends from down south and north and they too report no problems with going out anywhere and in fact too many people out and about. My neighbors left early this morning for camping and around the cabins nearby all are full with people with 3 to 4 large parties of 50 people attending.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

@Ashley

 I went into my work to collect my pay

If you have a Japanese bank account, you do not need to traipse across town to Otemachi to get paid

both his parents are working at home

and so, still happy to send their family member to you?

I had to go to Meguro and

Getting about a bit then...

We all must suck it up and stay in 

Right. Pass me the mirror.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I wonder if Nikko is crowded, too, this weekend. I am thinking of Toshogu's shrine's three monkeys, one covering its mouth, one covering its ears, one covering. Those three monkeys pretty much sum up the situation.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Yesterday - Friday April 4 - Tokyo public transport was only at 12% of its regular usage. People are voting with their feet with this killer virus and staying home. Wise. Next week you would absolutely expect less than 10% usage of Tokyo transport.

(Source - Citymapper mobility index App)

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I went to the International Center today in Takamatsu, Kagawa on Shikoku. I go there every Saturday. Nobody was there! There are usually quite a few people there on a Saturday. We don't even have so many confirmed cases of the virus here. But, one of the guys I did meet there said that there were quite a few people yesterday watching the cherry blossoms in Kinbuchi Park in the southern part of Takamatsu City. There were people walking down the street today, for sure, but far fewer people than usual.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

110 in Tokyo infected today. I know you guys are out enjoying the beautiful day but what you do affects things down the line.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

Far fewer people around the Tokyo Station area, and noticeably so along Hibya dori .

Can't find anywhere selling Toilet paper and face masks simply appear to be no longer in production.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Local Library closed too.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Here is a live cam streaming from Shibuya Crossing - one of the world's most crowded crossing in Tokyo - NOW.

https://worldcams.tv/japan/tokyo/shibuya-crossing

And here is a YouTube video (from 2017), showing a "normal" crowd at the crosswalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od6EeCWytZo

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How about restaurants, bars, izakayas, karaoke lounges, cinemas, pachinko parlors, etc? Are these places quiter than usual?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Passed a couple walking hand in hand in full hazmat suits this afternoon in Yokohama.

Why the negs? I’m completely serious. Passed them on my bike. Looked like they were heading toward the Simichu home center/OK Supermarket in Honmoku. People were staring but I just came from the supermarket there and it was a madhouse so they’re pretty smart actually if you ask me.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japan has only tested around 35000 - 37000 people for Covid19.

Australia has now tested over 260000 people for Covid19 (over one percent of its population). The tests are free, test points increasing daily and given to anyone with a fever and/or two symptoms and people with underlying health conditions.

Increased testing makes it possible to track peoples movements and contacts thereby getting more people checked, not infecting others and possibly saving lives.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The hospitals are not full like is being reported, the empty shelves and stores are non existent like being reported. Where are those reporting this information at? From what I saw today it was another busy day as usual and the both trains and buses packed. Taxis had no issues getting customers, just normal day like any day. Lawsons, open, Family Mart open, even asked if business was down in foot traffic the response was no.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

From what I saw today it was another busy day as usual and the both trains and buses packed. 

Actually, the statistics prove you very wrong. The trains and buses of Tokyo are extremely quiet. (Source : CityMapper Mobility Index)

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Passed a couple walking hand in hand in full hazmat suits this afternoon in Yokohama.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I really want to know how many patients recovered from this pandemic virus and let us know if they are well now. The numbers only increase to show day by day elevating direction every part in the world, only China decreased? All medias started to say over-shoot will happen and hospitals won't accept all of the affected...Please give us information!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Once again a lot of the posters here are either fake or living in a different Japan to me. Why? We'll I went through Ikebukaro station today around 1pm and I've never seen it so empty. I caught the green car to yokohama and I was the only person in it. Yokohama definitely isn't busy either. 

Tokyo-Yokohama are presently ghost towns. Dead. They will be dead for at least 3-4 months. Possibly 6+ months. There are no tourists and the great majority of workers in the city are now working from home.

I really want to know how many patients recovered from this pandemic virus and let us know if they are well now. 

Approximately 20% of all worldwide recorded infected patients are listed as "recovered", from 1.1 Million+ recorded cases . The Recovery rate is likely to be somewhere between 99.5% (Australia) and 89% (Italy). Far, far less in non-rich nations who have yet to be hit by the pandemic ie Africa.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Taro

I do not wish that to anyone, but get ready for the worst. Japan might become the next COVID19 epicentre.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It’s really hard to gauge just by reading the posts if enough people are actually heeding the “stay at home” message. So the streets are either deserted or it’s business as usual. When I went to the local supermarket yesterday In the Ebisu area, it was business as usual, but saw much less people than on a typical weekend on my 20 minute walk there.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As as is proven again above in the comments by others, Japan is no exception of other nations. The public in general is taking the risks way too lightly in the beginning.

That will probable continue till images appear of people flocking the hospitals and that of dozens of body bags. People seem not to understand that the whole Japanese medical system will get a huge kick when the number of serious ill patients run into the 10.000's.

So lets hope that the learning curve is getting soon much higher than that curve of infected persons.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And no daigous to be seen as all the masks have been bought up.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Enoshima was pretty barren today. So sad.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Sure Fightio at 3am yes most of the city is asleep so in that sense your correct.

But Ginza, other parts Saitama, etc. there are plenty of folks out and about, including the night life b-w 9-1:00 am

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Until the government compensates bars and restaurants they will never close so any lock down will be toothless as they cant force them to close and so many people depend on salaries from them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just quit your complaining and !!!!!!

ok. You win. You get the award to accurately counting how many people was in the popular spots throughout Japan

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You know, I understand what a lot of you guys are saying here, about the fact that the message isn’t getting through from the government. But if that’s the case, then how come so few people in Japan have it? And they do do testing, and do you really think that with all the knowledge of this coronavirus, that people wouldn’t report symptoms if they were sick enough?

I mean I’m not saying that the numbers are all truthful, they’re not of course. I’m just saying that it’s so disproportionately low, it kind of makes you wonder why the Japanese are doing so relatively well.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Tina Stillions-McAfertyApr. 4 05:16 pm JST

Not in Yokosuka. It’s business as usual: heavy traffic, families in parks, people sitting in restaurants. I went out to get groceries at the local store, since the US Navy in our area has us sheltering in place. A group of 7 people outside my window chatting with their dogs; construction workers building houses. You would never know there is a worldwide pandemic killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world. It’s frightening and surreal.

"hundreds of thousands" ????

what is, US Navy propaganda ?

I hope this country will someday get rid off those US bases, we don't need you.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Ashley

” I permitted my son's friend to come over, today, as I know both his parents are working at home and they are like me only going for food and staying indoors.”

you can’t moan about your friends when you too take a risk by letting your sons mate over? Tad hypocritical no?

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Kobe centergai packed like sardines when I drove past 10:30am. The powers that be are hoping it will disappear with warmer weather I bet. How’s that old 60’s song go... drreeeeeam dream dream dream, dreeeeeeam dream dream dream. Oh I have learned A blood types are at a higher risk after watching a specialist (sorry forgot his name) on a recent Joe Rogan podcast. Heads up.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Once again a lot of the posters here are either fake or living in a different Japan to me. Why? We'll I went through Ikebukaro station today around 1pm and I've never seen it so empty. I caught the green car to yokohama and I was the only person in it. Yokohama definitely isn't busy either. Most of the stores are closed. The big wheel and fairground aren't operating. So the government's requests to stay home are clearly working.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

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