Japan's governors call for COVID lockdown

To Little, Far To Late.

NO LOCKDOWNS.

It didn't work for other nations, it destroyed the local economies especially small businesses and it caused severe stress on the people effected.

More Vaccination is the only path forward.

Stay home hard?

There should have been a lockdown in February 2020, but the J government doesn't the authority to impose one. I wouldn't want a government in a one-party system to have that authority though as they definitely wouldn't exercise it only in pandemics.

The Japanese comedy continues!

I am so thankful that I am based in a country which handled the pandemic wisely…

NO LOCKDOWNS.

It didn't work for other nations,

It’s been wildly successful in Australia and NZ.

it destroyed the local economies

It didn’t destroy either of their economies.

especially small businesses

Their governments supported their small business.

and it caused severe stress on the people effected.

The pandemic has been stressful for 99.999% if the people out there

More Vaccination is the only path forward.

Why do so many people have this simplistic idea that’s only one approach should be taken?

Finally, we shall stay home. Just as I have been advising.

Maybe they want lockdown, I certainly don’t.

It's not about what we want, and it certainly isn't about you. It's about what works most effectively for the eventual benefit of us all.

Their addition means 29 of Japan's 47 prefectures, or roughly 84 percent of the population, are now under some kind of restrictions on business activities, less than two weeks after the Tokyo Olympics wrapped up and days before the Paralympics begin.

84% under some kind of restrictions. A short term lockdown as opposed to these long term half measures that we’re getting will see better results for everybody. No lockdown just means 84% of the population are going to continue being restricted for longer. Nobody likes the lockdowns but it’s daft to think things are going to be better long term without something real.

"Go To Home"

I’m sure Most people who are calling for a lockdown will not be affected financially. You’ll be able to work from home, sitting comfortably on your couch in your pyjamas & slippers, sipping tea, & getting your full salary - gee, life is great !

However, there are many out there, who if they don’t work, do not get paid. Monthly income - zero !

I dare anyone who has a family & financial responsibilities, to go several months without any income.

Japanese leaders with zero courage keep on washing their hands. Wasn't SoE supposed to allow governors of each prefecture to establish their own preventive measures? But no.

They just keep on passing the ball and nothing gets done coz no one's willing to take the fall.

NO LOCKDOWNS.

It didn't work for other nations, it destroyed the local economies especially small businesses and it caused severe stress on the people effected.

More Vaccination is the only path

Lockdowns did work. It bought time while a vaccine was being developed. Lockdowns continue to work while the vaccine is administered.

At this stage, if you want me to stay home or not go to a bar; Pay Me,

The gov has done almost nothing useful to stem the tide of covid, and further "lockdown" won't help because people are fed up of this by now. Bribe people to stay home, and you may get results.

Governments all over the world had already the experience that Lockdowns make zero sense!

Except 2 countries which are looking for a zero case status by all means, which everyone knows is impossible.

A lockdown is just a temporary thing.

Each country who opened up again after its lockdown, faced again a sudden increase in cases.

Some people say....

That is nonsens.

Nobody is saying that and nobody wants a lockdown. (Probably except people who don't like to go out anyway for whatever reason).

The governors are saying that, because they don't know what to do, and at least they have to say something.

In my opinion, for Japan, especially for the big cities,....home office is the key.

Keep the people out of the trains, keep the people out of the tight full packed offices and keep the people out of the small full packed meeting rooms.

Everyone who works in a japanese company knows what I am talking about.

And, if people work from home, the restaurants will not being full packed for lunch time, because 80% of the guests for lunch are buisness people who are eating their lunch.

Of course this is a cut in the buisness for the restaurants, which depend on lunch time customers, but here the government should pay enough compensation.

And...vaccination.

Keep the vaccine program rolling on high speed.

Each country have to find a way to go back to normal life as close as possible, even the Virus is around.

Because killing the virus is impossible.

And at the end, each country should send its bill to China!

Again, its easy to say Lockdown if your income doesnt depend on going outside.

My wife's company never allowed remote work and so didnt many of other companies because they have taken no measures to have that option. They are still faxing documets for God's sake at my wife's company. Lockdown imposed or not I dont see these companies to follow it.

Human cattle just like the animal one must be vaccinated. Increase the number of hospital beds too. They said on the telly that Japan has been decreasing the number of hosptial from before the pandemic and even when the pademkc started the policy continued for some time, Ikegami's special report that he does once a month said that around half a year ago if o remember correctly.

While I understand the need to protect people, perhaps by making them stay home, as tooheysnew says, this gov't will not support small business owners or independent workers as others countries have. So far this gov't has only sent out one payment of Y100,000 during the entire crisis. For some, this would be a huge burden on us!

Hosptial beds*

@tooheysnew

I agree with you...but, I am calling for home office since the beginning of the pandemic.

Not for a lockdown!

From the beginning, I am against a Lockdown.

But In my opinion home office is a key.

But, where it is possible.

In my company and in thousands of other companies, home office is possible, but the old folks in the japanese management of these companies are refusing home office, because their brains are stucked in 1930s.

@jax

My wife's company never allowed remote work and so didnt many of other companies because they have taken no measures to have that option.

Exactly!

And even after almost 2 years, they didn't do anything to improve this situation.

Because their old brains are not able to understand what a high positive impact home office can have.

And not only to prevent the spread of the virus, also for workers and for the business.

Japan's governors urged the central government on Friday to consider imposing a lockdown to better contain a spike in COVID-19 cases, calling the current measures "ineffective" in fighting the highly contagious Delta variant rapidly spreading across the country.

I think what they actually said is they want something lockdown-ish. So maybe a 2020 March SoE type of thing. Schools closed , Shops closed, The problem is how much an experiment of that magnitude will cost ?

Learn from foreign lockdowns. You need to support businesses and individuals rapidly, especially those who simply won't be able to buy food and pay bills if they do not get an immediate and regular income. Be generous or people will go hungry. You can do fraud checks later on.

Be prepared to lift a lockdown as soon as you can, as it is really damaging for many people - expect an increase in depression, suicide and domestic violence. You will be locking some folk in with their abusers. Home schooling also has a negative effect on kids with a rise in juvenile mental health issues. Older people can become badly isolated and decline quickly, especially if they cannot use online services (Zoom, shopping). Permit humanitarian exemptions. This is not ebola - people should be allowed to spend time with declining/ill family members. Some incidents during inflexible European lockdowns were inhuman.

Before you do this, optimise your medical care - quarantine at home for anything less than vulnerable patients or degrading health. MASH-style hospitals set up in large buildings for those needing observation and medical intervention. It may allow you to reduce the length of a lockdown.

Ramp up the vaccinations as quickly as you can.

In the UK, closing 'non-essential' shops felt like overkill. Many were small independents who could not survive. Keep as many shops open as you can, as they are controllable spaces where you can mandate masks and social distancing.

If you exempt fully vaccinated people from restrictions you will incentivise vaccinations. Vaccinations aren't worth doing if we do not allow people to benefit from them.

They can start with locking down the airports and canceling the Olympics.

Tooheys

the lockdown is the only way to contain the spread.

where do you always get your facts and opinions from??

@GBR48

One of the best post I read here since a long time.

@monty

 I am calling for home office since the beginning of the pandemic.

Those who can, should, But there are many like myself whose work cannot be done at home.

And at the end, each country should send its bill to China!

yes indeed !

I bet the central government was secretly delighted to hear this request from the governors.

"Yay! More meetings!"

Tooheys

perhaps you should telework.

Almost two years of this now. The whole world taken hostage by something we can’t even see without a microscope.

was reading something by Peter Lundgren, an MEP for Sweden.... that country having no hard lockdowns and etc and etc, relying on citizens' common sense.... allowing people to think for themselves in other words, act like responsible adults. J-Gov couldn't conceive such an approach of course.... nor the people, evidently.... and anyway, nothing is as important as the Olympics..... (talking of common sense.... or lack of it)

@steve

i am constantly talking to my family & friends.

They pass on to me the real feelings of the people.

Most of them agree it’s too much & they have had enough

At this point, it ain’t working!

""Japan's governors urged the central government on Friday to consider imposing a lockdown""

Sure, when you are sitting in an airconditioned office and your paycheck and bonuses are GUARANTEED no matter what, it's very easy for YOU Mr. Governor to say LOCK IT DOWN, how selfish.

I was in Chinatown Yokohama yesterday. It was a ghost town. Every block had three to five shuttered restaurants looking for tenants.

So this quasi lockdown is destroying businesses. Imagine what a full lockdown would do.

Get the vaccine rolling faster, and use school gyms as temporary hospitals. Not that difficult to do.

Wait for the classic Japanese compromise: lock the borders even more, so that even fully vaccinated foreign residents, tested twice before coming back and on arrival and undergoing a 14 days quarantine, cannot travel back anymore (Japanese can continue doing so, because “the constitution blah blah cannot impose blah blah citizens blah”).

Infuse an unjustified sense of safety from closing the borders, and continue going to work everyday untested and unvaccinated among thousands of positives in packed trains and offices. But close schools for a month so that parents who are obliged by their company to go to the office also have the problem of their children not having education, meals and sports (because outside activities are more dangerous than pap and mama taking the Yamanote line).

Reduce even more the ridiculously low levels of contact tracing and testing, but test massively only in areas “at risk” and point the finger at youth and the lowlife in Kabukicho. Provide financial support once in 18 months and expect people to find a way to survive the rest of the time. Ignore the spike of suicide among women and young citizens, because they don’t vote for me.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

…such as the lockdowns that have been imposed in some other countries. But Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has expressed doubt over the effectiveness of those steps.

So he’s hesitant to do something that he DOUBTS will work, but he wants to keep doing something that at this point pretty much everyone KNOWS isn’t working? Wtf? J logic at its best.

Regardless of whether you’re pro or anti-lockdown, can we all agree the current measures are illogical and ineffective? What will it take for them to finally try something new?

Lockdown is possible in also present Japan.

Constitution is never its hindrance.

Japan's Disaster Measures Basic Act enables many response including lockdown.

Monetary compensation is indispensable whatever government does.

Many stores or restaurants don't obey to request from government or prefectures because compensation is insufficient and slow.

Biggest hindrance is Japan's PM Suga who tries to cut cost of corona virus measures.

Japan doesn't have lockdown law or martial law in the first place even if governors want it. It probably takes a couple of years for upper and lower house members to pass the bill of the lockdown. Most people don't want it because lockdown is not freedom. People have a right of travelling/moving all over Japan.

...the latest emergency appears to have lost its impact on public behavior

"Appears to have"? These toothless measures lost any and all impact back during the 3rd SoE. The government can't keep hitting the rinse and repeat button and expect their people to wordlessly comply.

You'd think they'd learn by now that the virus doesn't operate on a clock and that forcing businesses in the F&B industry to close by 8pm is only ruining livelihoods.

Once again, focus on ramping up vaccinations by doing away with the senseless reservation system and just allow walk-ins. Companies that have the ability to work from home, make them do it and reduce the ridiculous number of commuters on the trains. Seriously, J-gov needs to sort out its priorities or they're going to run their country into the ground.

MASH-style hospitals set up in large buildings for those needing observation and medical intervention

Yes, that's it ! A very simple, cheap and elegant solution to our problems.

Lockdowns are not realistic in Tokyo where people live in smaller spaces with not a ton of food stockage. So you can't compare it to some of these other countries that have tiny populations.

Also against giving up Freedoms to Governments because once power is given, it is rarely given back.

Absolutely positively NOT.

First step should be to close all elementary, junior high, and high schools ASAP and stop ALL school activities.

Second step should be to force all larger size companies into mandatory work from home schedules.

Third/final step to pressure all tourist, vacation, and airlines to cancel tourism/vacation type services.

Everyone else needs to work.

One other point I think many people have failed to think of, is that perhaps in Australia, New Zealand, etc. people live in ,ugh bigger houses and apartments. I think it is almost unfeasible for a family of 4 to stay locked down in a 1 LDK. Toko and other cities are not made for people to stay for extended periods of time. I feel housing here is more of a place to sleep, eat and store stuff.

TOKYO

Japan's governors urged the central government on Friday to consider imposing a lockdown to better contain a spike in COVID-19 cases, calling the current measures "ineffective" in fighting the highly contagious Delta variant rapidly spreading across the country.

kudos to the jgovt it took them 2 years to finally figure this one out but good luck begging the public to stay home

Lockdowns don't work unless you are fine with damaging businesses and kids. They didn't work in the U.S.

Where are the therapeutics?

How to restrict people's movements is also an issue, as the latest emergency appears to have lost its impact on public behavior.

Really?!

Now why would that be?

Let's look at possible reasons the public no longer takes this seriously:

Let's start with the most obvious:

Told to stay home and social distance but then having to pack themselves into crowded commuter trains every morning.

Next we have bureaucrats and elected officials breaking their own rules having drinking parties and fancy dinners.

This is followed by holding a double mass international gathering called the Olympics with all the officials traveling across Japan holding more non sports event and fancy gatherings.

Add in low testing and testing restrictions giving the impression that despite higher numbers, compared to the population size they don't seem that big a deal and the policy of making most recuperate at home gives even more the impression that it isn't a big deal.

Take all the above together and then asked the stupid question of why people aren't taking the situation seriously!

@tooheysnew

I’m sure Most people who are calling for a lockdown will not be affected financially. You’ll be able to work from home, sitting comfortably on your couch in your pyjamas & slippers, sipping tea, & getting your full salary - gee, life is great !

However, there are many out there, who if they don’t work, do not get paid. Monthly income - zero !

I dare anyone who has a family & financial responsibilities, to go several months without any income.

As I am sure that the people calling for no lockdown are mostly not part of the people from the lower income (which are already hardly hit lockdown or not) but more like manager which are afraid for their job in the long run, after all it is harder to fake working and being useful when you are alone in front of your computer and actually have to produce some measurable work.

~=~=~

For the lockdown does not work crowd, I am curious of which countries you are based your reasoning from, in the sens of countries using lockdown in the way we could except Japan to use it : so which countries which used some form of lockdown in the purpose to slow the spread and protect their medical system by reducing pressure with the first sign of efficience not excepted before 2 weeks and more for the medical system strain (because the way the virus act), actually failed and on which range ?

The last thing you want to give a government that takes no responsibility for any errors or omissions is the power to lock down its citizens.

China is doing this now. The government welds apartment gates shut, puts armored guards in the streets with orders to shoot, and delivers meager government-chosen rations of rotting vegetables to its subjects every three days through a peephole as in solitary confinement. Result? COVID cases increasing. Sounds like utopia.

China recently locked down a city of 11 million, and of course, no news about success. Once the power to control the population with the threat of death, kiss the county goodbye. There is no need to report to the Populus or ask again if given power such as this. Power is simply taken and used. Anyone who has lived through a war cannot seriously be in favor of a lockdown. If you haven't been to war, book a flight into Afghanistan and enjoy the horrors of a country's self-imploding.

Once the ability to lockdown occurs, it will take another war or uprising to eliminate it. In addition, ratting on neighbors and many related problems Japan experienced during WWII will appear again with a lockdown, and the few existing freedoms will disappear. The app for reporting foreigners will be used for Japanese citizens within weeks. You can't seriously think it was for tourists ad foreigners only, can you? If that appeals to you, move to Beijing. Japan does not have body bags piling up in the streets but needs vaccinations. Lockdowns just magnify and lengthen the problem.

Research has shown there is more transmission INSIDE a home than OUTSIDE the home. So unlike some countries that tried a lockdown and are now experiencing more crime, more domestic violence, and no depreciable numbers of COVID cases, the cure is worse than the disease.

If the population is immunized, the problem will become manageable. People who call for lockdowns but refuse to get vaccinated have no right to force others to follow flawed logic. So go get jabbed, and if you can't get a reservation, bring a few friends and have a sit in at your local city hall and call the newspaper. Your jab will arrive shortly.

Japan suffered through enough Kempeitai and other tactics designed to control the population. No need to try it again.

If you want to stay home 24/7, quit your job, and have enough money from Daddy to live on indefinitely, go ahead. But, don't force an unproven and ineffective solution on others.

By the time they've had all the meetings to discuss later meetings and then faxed and hanko'd all the documents to approve a lockdown, the pandemic will be over. It's times like this that I'm thankful for the inefficiency of the J-Gov, as it will mean I don't have to miss a day at the gym.

MarkXToday  08:53 am JST

One other point I think many people have failed to think of, is that perhaps in Australia, New Zealand, etc. people live in ,ugh bigger houses and apartments. I think it is almost unfeasible for a family of 4 to stay locked down in a 1 LDK. Toko and other cities are not made for people to stay for extended periods of time. I feel housing here

That is a valid point.

In Canada during the lockdowns we saw all these people complaining and news going on about how this or that family was stressed out have 2 adults and 1 or 2 children home in a single home or apartment.

Then when we see that home or apartment we see a space that in Japan would have been decided in two and be two full residences for 2 families of the same size.

Basically the same space twice the people.

Best example is the other article on university students stress in Japan.

While my niece's friends back in Canada complain about their online classes living alone in an apartment their apartments have a full size room living room and full size eat-in kitchen,

While here in Japan my son's friends that are still in university are living in one room not in a one bedroom but in a one room apartment, a single room that is bedroom, livingroom, dinning room, with a single burner stove micro sink and a tiny unit bathroom.

And no folks we can't all pack our bags and move to the country side and even less if a lockdown is ever actually put into effect.

One other point I think many people have failed to think of, is that perhaps in Australia, New Zealand, etc. people live in ,ugh bigger houses and apartments

No. In the immigrant enclaves of the Western suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, you'll find multiple extended families of 10+ "new Australians" living in a single house. This is partly a cultural thing, but mainly because of exorbitant housing costs. These areas are also hotspots for the spread of the virus, coincidentally.

MarkXToday  08:53 am JST

One other point I think many people have failed to think of, is that perhaps in Australia, New Zealand, etc. people live in ,ugh bigger houses and apartments. I think it is almost unfeasible for a family of 4 to stay locked down in a 1 LDK. Toko and other cities are not made for people to stay for extended periods of time. I feel housing here is more of a place to sleep, eat and store stuff.

Way too much generalisation, there are plenty of regular-sized houses in Japan, even in Tokyo. You need to get out more (or perhaps not nowadays), there is a normal world here and there is a Japan outside Tokyo too. All cities and larger town in Japan have their small apartments but it's not all like that.

FluteToday  09:12 am JST

I don't know where you live or what social circles you run in.

But I live and have been living in "Shitamachi" for over 30 years basically a very working class neighbourhood.

I am a craftsman, many of my friends and acquaintances, are craftspeople, manual labourers, construction, restaurant or bar owners, barbers, etc...

Few if any can telework, and even fewer has the financial resources to just stay home and not work.

Those that tried and met all the requirements for government aid found that the amount give didn't even cover their rent.

So unless the Japanese government is going to suddenly and quickly had out hundreds of thousands of yen per person and business each month, lockdown is a non starter.

The last thing you want to give a government that takes no responsibility for any errors or omissions is the power to lock down its citizens.

This sentence best sums up the situation.

The governors also called for a nationwide state of emergency to prevent the flow of people across prefectural borders, and criticized the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak in light of the spread of the Delta variant and increasing medical strains.

Hello Governors, now that the going gets tough you are distancing yourselves and shifting blame to the central gov't, when throughout this pandemic not even one of you has done anything to mitigate the spread of this virus in your prefectures. All of you are guilty of reporting low numbers by suppressing testing and deceiving the public and the world that Japan has done or is doing well in controlling the spread of the virus. You have gotten away with doing nothing and many people bought into the deceit, now that you have met a formidable foe in delta variant and your lies cannot convince anybody any longer you are trying to run leaving the central gov't to take all the blame. Everyday thousands of preschool and school children get infected in the country probably by their parents, in the Jukus or school club activities and very soon school is reopening and the infected kids will go to school and infect those that are not yet infected and those kids will then go home and infect their parents and grand parents if they are not already infected, It is already a vicious cycle yet there is not a single voice calling for schools to move online, jukus closed and club activities suspended, neither is there any call to test all children before school starts and to carry out periodic tests. We were told infections don't occur in department stores and it took just three massive clusters in department stores to debunk the false believe. Nobody is talking of limiting the number of people taking the train or a tracing system when you board a train like was done in China.

The Australian government paid out over $110 billion to Aussie workers in the form of job keeper & job seeker subsidies. That’s to nearly 7 million people, for 12 months.

Will the Japanese government do something similar ?

Last year, they handed out a one off payment of $1000 - pathetic !

How can Japan possibly be in this position after having so long to prepare. Too focused on the ridiculous Olympics, not wanting to accept vaccine results of other populations, Go To Travel (craziest iidea ever), ridiculously slow vaccine roll out.......

NO LOCKDOWNS.

It didn't work for other nations, it destroyed the local economies especially small businesses and it caused severe stress on the people effected.

It works.

It is like saying cancer is not curable and doing nothing about it. Cancers are curable when discovered early and treated. Lockdowns need to be early, fast and hard. When nothing is done initially and the virus is allowed to spread widely in communities, lockdowns will be less effective as the virus will be spreading at homes and the elderly and those with comorbidities will be badly hit as we saw in Italy, New york and some other places.

Lockdowns and massive testing is the only way to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Tooheysnew

we ain’t in Oz, we are in Japan.

Monty,

In my opinion, for Japan, especially for the big cities,....home office is the key.

Keep the people out of the trains, keep the people out of the tight full packed offices and keep the people out of the small full packed meeting rooms.

The virus has already spread in homes, so how do you keep the people from being infected in the small tight homes ?

Very hard to imagine there will be anything resembling a lockdown in Japan as it would require politicians and the government bureaucracy to take real action and responsibility. Suga's remark suggests there is no appetite for that. It would also require a shift of priority away from business/economy to people's health and wellbeing which is something they are unwilling to do as demonstrated by the Olympics and lack of social/financial support. Expect more urging and empty announcements over the next few months from an ineffectual government.

While I understand the need to protect people, perhaps by making them stay home, as tooheysnew says, this gov't will not support small business owners or independent workers as others countries have. So far this gov't has only sent out one payment of Y100,000 during the entire crisis. For some, this would be a huge burden on us!

The gov't supports only big businesses, all the while applications for the meagre 300K gov't support by self enterpreneurs get turned down 24 times. Deloitte, Dentsu, ANA, JAL, Nissan and many others are getting hundreds of billions of taxpayers money.

Harry_GattoToday  09:29 am JST

Way too much generalisation, there are plenty of regular-sized houses in Japan, even in Tokyo. You need to get out more (or perhaps not nowadays), there is a normal world here and there is a Japan outside Tokyo too. All cities and larger town in Japan have their small apartments but it's not all like that

Over 90% of Japanese live in urban areas, the average size of a single home ( not condo or apartment) is 127 m2, compared to 175 m2 in New Zealand, 235 m2 in Australia, Canada 182 m2.

Home ownership in Japan is said to be 65% compared to around 75% in Australia New Zealand and Canada but that is a bit deceiving as much of that home ownership in Japan is now "mansions" ( aka condominium).

The average urban apartment/condo in urban Japan is 100 m2 ( in Tokyo that is 69 M2).

So let's get real there is no comparison.

Housing of every type are far bigger in Australia New Zealand Canada the USA than in Japan

Presumably there would be govt subsidies ?

Of course! They've been busy planting money trees since March 2020...

I was in Chinatown Yokohama yesterday. It was a ghost town. Every block had three to five shuttered restaurants looking for tenants.

So this quasi lockdown is destroying businesses. Imagine what a full lockdown would do.

It is not the lockdown that is destroying businesses, it is the gov't not supporting businesses, Businesses will still be hard hit even without lockdowns if people are not spending.

To the people who are saying lockdowns don’t work where are you when you are writing this? Have you had firsthand experience of lockdowns?

I’m not saying lockdowns are the magic pill but they do help with contact tracing, easing the burden on the health system and putting plans in place to try and reduce the spread of the virus, buying us time you could say.

Of course! They've been busy planting money trees since March 2020.

I believe the correct terminology in Japan is 'money printer go brrrrrrrrrrr'

Haft hearted lock downs do not work with Delta. A curfew will not work either. Only a vaccinated population will stop the sickness and deaths. So The talk needs to go from lock down to restrictions on the non vaccinated. like if not vaccinated you can not used public transport or go to sporting venues etc.

AustPaulToday  10:12 am JST

Ok where are you?

Does Japan give out money like in the places that have done successful lockdowns?

No!

So until then it is a moot point.

NSW is giving up to $750 aus per week for those that lost more than 20 hours per week.

Canada was handing out $2,000 cnd a month to those that couldn't work during lockdown,

New Zealand had a whole host of support plans and options.

Etc...

Japan gave one payment for ¥100,000 to individuals and a one time payment to businesses that the average amount was just a bit over ¥ 1 million.

This is not Australia, New Zealand or Canada.

So unless you or others can convince the Japanese government to stat supporting financially those that close their business, stop working and stay home, implement mortgage payment freezes, rent freezes, utilities payment freezes, etc...

A lockdown in Japan is a moot point.

Better do it now and hard and everywhere to bring the numbers and whole package significantly down. If such new emerging delta sub variants like AY.3 and 3.1 or similar should widely prevail you can instead of discussing lockdowns sing your last mass.

Antiquesaving

I’m in Australia, I’m experiencing this first hand and I’m involved on the frontline in our response against Covid.

I’m not a big supporter of lengthy lockdowns but short sharp lockdowns do work, I’ve seen the results first hand.

Apart from increase vaccination for the populace what are the suggestions you and the other anti-lockdown posters suggest?

Mark - NO LOCKDOWNS! It didn't work for other nations, it destroyed the local economies especially small businesses and it caused severe stress on the people effected. More Vaccination is the only path forward

With 25,000 new cases nationally a lockdown is too late. It’s likely to be 50,000 cases within a week. Once again Japan is playing catch up with the virus and the rest of the world.

@steve

we ain’t in Oz, we are in Japan.

yes we are. And unless the Japanese government starts handing out financial support like the Australian government did, I am totally against a lockdown here.

A one-off token payment ain’t gonna cut it

Who will enforce it? The police. And who do the police target anyways? You and me.

Don’t worry, they’ll enforce nothing, because they’ll just die if standing exposed in the first row for more than 15 seconds. They’ll just fine lock up themselves in koban and secure it with barricades and read some manga.

Kudos to the creative writers of this narrative and their fear-porn posing as news. They have successfully convinced most of us that 'lockdowns' of healthy populations is in no way connected with massive house arrest. Nope, nothing to see here. Move along little doggies.

AustPaulToday  10:44 am JST

Antiquesaving

I’m in Australia, I’m experiencing this first hand and I’m involved on the frontline in our response against Covid.

I’m not a big supporter of lengthy lockdowns but short sharp lockdowns do work, I’ve seen the results first hand.

Apart from increase vaccination for the populace what are the suggestions you and the other anti-lockdown posters suggest

Let me enlighten you.

Australia population

AustPaulToday  10:44 am JST

Antiquesaving

I’m in Australia, I’m experiencing this first hand and I’m involved on the frontline in our response against Covid.

I’m not a big supporter of lengthy lockdowns but short sharp lockdowns do work, I’ve seen the results first hand.

Apart from increase vaccination for the populace what are the suggestions you and the other anti-lockdown posters suggest

Let me enlighten you.

Australia total population 25 million,

Population of Sydney 5 million NSW 8 million

Japan population 126 million

Greater Tokyo metro area (Basically Kanto) population 39 million.

The financial support needed in Australia is peanuts compared to just Tokyo metro.

So again unless the Japanese government is going to shell out billion on billion of yen, the idea of a lockdown is a non starter if one uses logic.

Tell me how do I pay my mortgage? How will my friends and neighbours pay their rents/mortgages, utilities, food, etc.. without major financial support.

You are not here so your view is not worth much I got ¥ 100,000 one time payment in NSW you can get $750 a WEEK so even trying to make a comparison between the two place is again a moot point!

It will never happen

it’s just political posturing

thanks goodness

^

I found booking the vaccine appointment very easy and only took one attempt, and yes, I'm in Tokyo.

Perhaps the local municipalities are handling things differently.

I found booking the vaccine appointment very easy and only took one attempt, and yes, I'm in Tokyo.

You must be in Minato-ku or Shibuya-ku. The richer wards have appointments all open, while poorer areas such as Shinjuku, Toshima, Kita do not have any appointment availabilities.

Vaccines are very much inaccessible for the vast majority of the general population. Everything such as the Shibuya center is just for show and propaganda purposes, so you basically have to go there every day for a 1/100 chance to get a shot. The national government is never interested in vaccinating the general population.

And a lockdown or a nation wide emergency will never happen. It will just embarrass the national government, who in their mind is doing the best in the world in covid control, and they would never implement policies that make them look bad. There will be zero additional measures from national government to attempt to control covid, or even to build more hospital beds such as temporary ones, because again, that would make them look bad.

Lockdown after more than 1.5 years?

Stop using people's life and their freedom of movement as a variable to adjust for your lack of treatment of the disease, stay focus on how to cure and treat the early patients to avoid severe conditions to happen.

It’s been wildly successful in Australia and NZ.

That’s even quit debatable. Australia used strict lockdowns last winter. If lockdowns work, why are they again in lockdown for basically all the winter this year too? And that’s even not mentioning the catastrophic social and economical consequences of lockdowns which are now well documented.

But besides the point whether lockdowns work or not, the question is more profound than that. It’s philosophical and morality. How far a state can go in brutality and authoritarianism for the name of health? Australia’s government is basically saying to its population that it knows what’s good for them and people are going to listen whether they like it or not.

It really doesn’t require a lot of intelligence, moral and humanity to understand that Australia and New Zealand are not doing the right thing. They are wrong, they are disgraceful.

This article describes it well. Please read it and please just take the time to think at least five minutes about it.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021/08/19/commentary/world-commentary/australia-authoritarian-covid-19-response/

Aust Paul; If you are on the front line which you can not be because you would realise that you comment lacks credibility with over 800 infection today from 250 a week ago. Delta is a different animal. Only a vaccinated population will beat Delta. You know that there are other vaccination like sputnik and Johnson, they work at 60 / 70% and that will do to take the heat off the Hospitals at present. The same thing is happening in Australian where the Fed buys the meds and the states control the roll out. WHY, State and prefecture can still go out and require these vaccination which have approval and roll them out but they don't. It got to do with Money. Our Money.

I would consider supporting a lockdown only under the current conditions: 3 months of my full salary paid upfront along with a 3-month suspension of all debt payments including credit cards debt/mortgage/car payments and by a 50% reduction in city and national taxes. Until that time, don't waste my time talking about lockdowns.

Hey John san, you don’t believe me that’s fine. You’re obviously not here anyway so I don’t care.

So what is the more suitable alternative until we have more vaccinated?

Only hearing whinging and I’m still waiting for some suggestions..

I would consider supporting a lockdown only under the current conditions: 3 months of my full salary paid upfront along with a 3-month suspension of all debt payments including credit cards debt/mortgage/car payments and by a 50% reduction in city and national taxes. Until that time, don't waste my time talking about lockdowns.

Why? If the lockdown was only one month would you still be looking for 3?

Lockdowns do work, but how? They are like credit cards; they buy time. Time for what? Japan has had so much time already, and what have they done with it? If they need and get more time, will they do anything with it? Let’s hear the plan first before voting on a lockdown.

People do not seem to understand that the corona virus is never going to go away, never. Look at “fully vaccinated” societies, Israel, Iceland, exploding with new cases. Vaccination does not stop the spread of the virus.

Please read it once more so you fully understand: vaccinations are not going to stop the spread of the virus.

We have to live with it until the end of days, lockdowns and vaccine passports are meaningless.

blueToday  12:48 pm JST

From a constitutional point of view, it is a no-go. So why bringing it up now? Oh, wait. Does it maybe have anything to do with the constitutional revision (only) the LDP is talking about?

Let's get this straight.

Nothing in the constitution stops the government from having a lockdown and only LDP supporters spread that false information as plenty of Japanese constitutional scholars have made it clear the government can impose restrictions in an emergency.

But the LDP and it's supporters spread the rumour it can't as another backwards way to get the opposition and the people of Japan to permit opening up the constitution to revisions, which we all know will not stop at this but include article 9 once that Pandora's box is opened.

Haaa NemuiToday  12:29 pm JST

I would consider supporting a lockdown only under the current conditions: 3 months of my full salary paid upfront along with a 3-month suspension of all debt payments including credit cards debt/mortgage/car payments and by a 50% reduction in city and national taxes. Until that time, don't waste my time talking about lockdowns.

Why? If the lockdown was only one month would you still be looking for 3?

Well that is simple to explain.

First once declared it will take the government at least a month to get everyone following the rules, so it will get extended another month, by the time we are really in lockdown it will need to be extended a 3rd month.

By the 3rd month some may start receiving their firsts month payment no 2nd or 3 month will have even started being processed as "lockdown" means no Gover workers can processe them because the government has zero capability to have its workers work from home.

A simple example is this:

I applied in 2020 for the small business support money ( ¥1 million) I applied quite quickly.

After supplying more and more documents, I was told the following:

"Due to covid precautions and high demand it will take longer to complete the process"

Yes I finally got the support money in late January 2021 about 10 months after I first applied.

> Japan's governors urged the central government on Friday to consider imposing a lockdown to better contain a spike in COVID-19 cases, calling the current measures "ineffective" in fighting the highly contagious Delta variant rapidly spreading across the country.

get real. That would be logical. Japan doesn’t do logic.

syzyguyToday  12:54 pm JST.

STAGE 1

Denial – The first reaction is denial. In this stage, individuals believe the diagnosis is somehow mistaken, and cling to a false, preferable reality

Wait you posted the same reply to me just a few days ago under a different name.

Maybe some are not aware of this and maybe some are, but the fact is that the japanese government will never shut down nor lock down for the simple reason that their economy cannot take such a big hit.

Since japan's economic bubble burst in '89, it has been limping along.

It is naive of anyone to think that this should be done.

All this is is a political stunt by the political opposition.

It's best to not pay heed to such tripe.

Japan look down at the Chines and other eastern Asian countries for their incompetence. Japan has resources and infrastructure to quickly build / convert Covid-19 dedicated hospitals in Convention Centers and Schools .. Use the JSF staff for monitoring and treatment on the same site. In case of a Disaster that is what we do .. where is that? Japan was one of the first country with Covid-19 outbreak in the world around Feb 2020 ... what have these useless Liberal Democratic Party politician learnt? Lock down and throw the money out. Vaccination is still slow .. Pathetic!

It's not like people don't know the COVID is out there. We can protect ourselves. 

We?

There are hysterical anti-vaxxers out there who are more likely to clog up the medical system. As you know, Japan’s medical system is ill-equipped to take in large influxes of patients.

I’m sure you aren’t in the incontinent anti-vaxxer camp, but there are morons out there. They walk among you and often post here.

This part of the reason why people are talking about lockdowns.

@Zichi-san. Is it a younger more energetic bureaucracy there not bogged down with paper upon paper? Sounds great if true.

You are extremely lucky to not lose out and be shut out of business. I have seen over a hundred places shuttered when doing my daily exercising and yesterday in Yokohama Chinatown I was shocked. Tenants wanted signs everywhere.

Keep your chin up, support local businesses and persevere.

zichiToday  01:24 pm JST

Are you starting this thing again?

I don't live in Hyogo I live in Tokyo, I am also not interested in packing up and moving to the middle of nowhere ( if I wanted that I have a nice big place being used as a country weekend place by my siblings back in Canada I could return to).

I am not interested in a loan and why should I get in depth because the government cannot get its act together.

I have enough loans between mortgage my children's universities.

this is correct. in fact, the vaccinations are causing the spread of the virus. keeping your head buried in the sand does not mean it's not happening.

What is happening in Vermont USA about variant delta, is definitely something that must be studied.

ZENJIToday  06:23 am JST: "To Little, Far To Late." Agreed. I"ll add: Far too much of the same old things that do not work.

Suga : Slower, lower, weaker - alone.

Lockdowns work if people respect them too. If no confidence, I am not sure it will provide any real results by now.

So in my opinion, it is definitevely too late to counter the direction in which Japan is heading, ie long time for recovery.

Let's all wish there won't be another over contagious variant.

The Japanese comedy continues!

I am so thankful that I am based in a country which handled the pandemic wisely…

Kurisupisu, Yokatta ne! ...

Again chasing a virus with statistics is like chasing a unicorn only to realize that statistics are as mythical as unicorns as the narrative is an interpretation of how the government expects the virus to behave (for the better or worse). The real numbers we should be getting is hospitalization and deaths to include the ages of patients, and whether or not those hospitalized had preexisting health conditions. Whatever happened to contact tracing the other chasing of the unicorn?

As long as the virus is alive, it will look for a host to survive and mutate. Of course, the inefficiency of the logistics of the vaccine roll out that has become dichotomized as haves and have nots that cannot be ignored. If industrialized countries have difficulties getting their populations vaccinated, what does this say for industrializing countries’ access to vaccines?

The hard realities to accept are the invisible economic repercussions from lockdowns with governments’ abilities to keep economies floating while David versus Goliath companies struggle to survive. Is the government even thinking about cutting another stimulus check to taxpayers? If this virus is here to stay, what reality is in the near future other than mandated vaccines, mask wearing, and arbitrarily social distancing?

Japan, with a population of some 125 million is now reporting about 25 thousand cases a day, with less than half the people fully vaccinated.

Here in the state of Oregon, USA, population 4 million, we are seeing some 3 thousand cases a day, with about 70% Fully vaccinated. At the rate of Oregon, a population Japan's size would be seeing 90 thousand cases per day.

Oregon has been in lockdown, briefly relaxed as people got vaxxed, and now is returning to mask mandates and other restrictions.

Nothing seems to work, it may be best to just let the pandemic run its course.

zichiToday  01:53 pm JST

Antiquesaving

You and I are not the only readers and posters on this forum. I post my own experience so others might know.

Then don't make as if it is addressed to me and we have no confusions.

I am not interested in a loan and why should I get in depth because the government cannot get its act together.

A loan is better than going under but I have it covered with some money due from America next year.

I am nowhere near going under, hard times yes going under, No!

If I need money the corner convenience store is always hiring, and Yes I have done it before, not my first Rodeo in the world of hard times.

I have enough loans between mortgage my children's universities.

I'll take a 10-year interest-free loan. Might not even live 10 more years.

As for your might not even live 10 more years, no sarcasm not joking and being very sincere, I honestly hope you do and that you live even longer as long as you are happy with your quality of life. I know you have had/have health issues and having had to deal with the loss of a loved one to cancer I say this for you and for your loved ones that I imagine would greatly miss you.

Cheers to a long life ( juice I don't drink any more).

Bergamo, Italy: The first and one of the worst hit regions in Europe. Villages saw half or more of their elderly population die in the first two or three months of the pandemic. Full lockdown for 10 weeks saw a dramatic drop in deaths and those effected. Few businesses went bust, many were carried by the government - given strong financial support. The citizens received 70% of their list income, some lost nothing at all. Now, 80% of the region's citizens are fully vaccinated, and business is pretty much normal. Covid numbers sit around 500-600 daily in a population of almost 10 million. Italy remains a very good example of how to deal with the pandemic, and the golden rule: we are in this together, everyone has to sacrifice something for your sacrifice is little compared to the 16k dead so far.

Japan look down at the Chines and other eastern Asian countries for their incompetence.

If you put Japan's government to any other country, that country will break down into civil turmoil within 5 years.

Japan's government is that of most incompetence and most corrupt. Any government project have majority of its money spent on kick-backs and favors. That is why any government deals always end up paying 3x-5x the market rate to a few politically connected companies. Much of your tax money is just going into the pockets of politicians and their families and friends rather than anything that helps the country.

The only reason Japan is not in civil turmoil is because the population is docile and would never rebel against their leaders due to culture.

Far far too late. No one cares nor has patience anymore. Unless you can impose jail sentences no one will listen anymore. Get out vaccines and shut up.

There must be a comprehensive program and policy of vaccinations. It is not complex, it is the embodiment of simplicity, walk in, jab, walk out.

The alternative will be intolerable/unacceptable strain on the countries healthcare system.

Two Jabs can reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 70%, dependent on extenuating health circumstance.

How COVID Affects Vaccinated and Unvaccinated People

https://www.statista.com/chart/25589/covid-19-infections-vaccinated-unvaccinated/

Lockdowns in a metropolis the size of Tokyo are impractical unenforceable, ultimately unsustainable.

These governors have taken leave of there senses.

The dense levels of sardine condominium habitats stacked on top of each other renders locking down simply wishful thinking.

Get out vaccines and shut up.

Who is gonna make the national government allow normal people to get their vaccines in Minato, Chiyoda, or Shibuya-ku with their poorer area vouchers?

National government is simply not supplying any of the non-elite areas with vaccines and do not allow the population living in poorer areas to use the over-supplied vaccines in elite areas despite those elite areas having massive amount of appointment openings.

People who live in areas like Shinjuku, etc. are pretty much screwed, there's no way the national government is willing to supply the poorer areas or allow them to obtain vaccines before next year.

> If you put Japan's government to any other country, that country will break down into civil turmoil within 5 years. 

Japan's government is that of most incompetence and most corrupt. Any government project have majority of its money spent on kick-backs and favors. That is why any government deals always end up paying 3x-5x the market rate to a few politically connected companies. Much of your tax money is just going into the pockets of politicians and their families and friends rather than anything that helps the country. 

The only reason Japan is not in civil turmoil is because the population is docile and would never rebel against their leaders due to culture.

Totally agree with you!!! All other countries can make real Lockdown and save lifes of their maybe sometimes ignorant citizens. But here in J they look down on them eeeeeeh, baka desu ka?

Why do a few posters here keep repeating false info re Australia's and NZ's lockdowns? I'm Canadian but I actually make sure I keep up with world news.

Those 2 countries are and have been since lockdowns started last year, financially compensating people who can't go to work or have lost income cause of these measures. In fact in Sydney there are people who are receiving around 3,000 Canadian dollars per month - roughly 300,000 yen give or take the exchange rate - now. Australia from the jump made a scheme to make sure citizens and residents don't suffer financially.

What happened in Japan for all the taxes we pay - and yep, I don't paying taxes but lower income earners which luckily I'm not pay a lot of tax which they wouldn't in some other rich countries. Everyone got 100,000 yen, about 1,000 bucks Canadian. 1 X. It paid one month's rent plus a few bills for many and that's all.

The institutional cruelty here is astonishing - of course the self-employed, part-timers, temporary workers and low income earners who don't have a company providing for them are being financially destroyed. The callousness here just depresses me. I don't agree with the tardy and panicked calls from politicians who do just about nothing for a 'lockdown' - they will punish those categories of workers even more.

The mask is really off - this is what Japanese society really thinks of those not lucky enough to be provided for tho they pay way too much tax on their small incomes. Shameful.

Two Jabs can reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 70%, dependent on extenuating health circumstance.

No. They have gone from 95% effective and 100% against severe illness to around 40% effective but 95% against severe illness . Now it's "around 70% effective against severe illness". They don't work. Sputnik V works and the Sinopharm vaccine may work.

No, what you hear are the Loot pack burnin rubber on their getaway cars. All these governors threw away the real panic button way back when. Close to the time Back man landed to roll around town for his Olmpick "cheers"

You want answers, yea, me too. But it's really up to voters and the "Looters"

And since your new, I'll let you in on a secret. The Looters are like the old boys running things and Looters Don't Pay.

Now the Games are gone. Along with billions of taxes etc, the yens your imagining about… your too late. The Looters came, they looted. They got their cuts and it's all private funds only by now I'll betcha. Safely Stashed, some places far away, from any more "suitable alternatives"

> AustPaulToday  12:16 pm JST

So what is the more suitable alternative until we have more vaccinated?

Only hearing whinging and I’m still waiting for some suggestions..

@zichi

Had you an employee then your loan might have been used to aid your employee(s)

However, the companies I worked for did not take this option with the result that I and other employees were basically laid off.

No work , no pay!

Better to have been sacked as state payments would be almost immediate.

Well, I was not able to and could not take the time to twiddle my thumbs for over three months.

I now have two jobs in the UK and the economy is expanding along with the pay rises…

Danielsan- New York and California proved lockdowns don't work.

Add Hawaii to the list- they've been in some form of lockdown since the beginning, along with mask mandates, and a high vaccination rate. Cases are going through the roof. If they had Japan's population, they would have 60k cases per day.

Rob

Well put, good common sense post

We have to live with Covid and take precautions. covid does not vanish from the planet because of lockdowns. Lockdowns cause immense damage and only delay infections.

We support all the governors especially the governor of Osaka.

There is no comparison with the logistical population density of cities the size of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya etc, with Australia or New Zealand.

Any further restriction of movement, will be met with incredulity.

There is not the resources available or anything close to sustain a lockdown beyond a number of days.

Working families will children will need support totally beyond the capability of these governors abilities to fiscally or economically provide.

It is a full blown political points scoring fairy story.

J Government just does not have the financial wiggle room to ever contemplate such proposals.

RobToday  03:34 pm JST

Everyone, let's say it together. Lockdowns. Dont. Work!

They destroy mental health, economy, and continue forever!

If your worried get the vaccine, life goes on. Covid is a non-lethal virus for 99.999% of the population. 20-40% of the people who have it dont even know it

Now go check out this article buried far down the front page

https://japantoday.com/category/features/health/deciphering-the-symptoms-of-long-covid-19-is-slow-and-painstaking-%E2%80%93-for-both-sufferers-and-their-physicians

Sure you live but with what consequences?

But Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has expressed doubt over the effectiveness of those steps.

He only uses his own moves. He’s a pro.

ahahhahahahahahha

Why? If the lockdown was only one month would you still be looking for 3?

Name one of these measures that have finished at the promised time...if it has finished at all.

The COVID Vaccinations do not stop you from getting COVID, and, do not stop you from spreading COVID - Fact.

Furthermore, the vaccines loose effectiveness over time, which is why, Governments are beginning to recommend Booster shots. Fact.

Regardless whether you have had the vaccination or not, you should still avoid crowds, wear a mask when indoor public places like shops, etc.

Why is it so difficult to have the vaccine program rolled out? This should have been the JP-government first priority. People are still struggling to make an appointments for their first shot, it is ridiculous.

The trains are full and people are sniffing, with masks only it will not help. For long Japan thought by just wearing a mask and disinfecting hands it would be sufficient. In the end it is the vaccine rate that will bring the numbers down.

Also, the way Japan is treating their own people and foreign residents who were tested and have been fully vaccinated is really unbelievable. In the mean time there is no clear strategy yet how the JP government wants to move forward with fully vaccinated people. There is QR code yet like in EU. There is no incentive for people who are vaccinated.

So a lockdown is just a temp measure but will not help the principle of the problem. I expected so much more of Japan especially since there is an excellent logistic system but this is completely put a side and traditional bureaucracy stops everything from moving forward.

Osaka population is estimated 19,110,616, Tokyo and associated neighbors combined 37,393,000,

New Zealand 4.910,000, Australia 25,360,000

it is the population density, that reduces any means of lockdown enforcement into the realms of la la land.

Now posters are asserting 'We support all the governors especially the Governor of Osaka.'

Please cut out the 'We' - you might be fine and dandy with enough money and I have a secure income but so many who don't have been thrown on the scrapheap here in Japan since last year and will be destroyed financially by a lockdown.

Time to get out of the smug 'I'm fine' so others can have no income or one that basically won't pay jack. This kind of selfishness is also behind the refusal of the Japanese public to cut out their cafe, restaurant, bar, pachinko, movie theater etc visits and their complete apathy at the incompetents and the callous who call themselves politicians here.

jojo_in_japanToday  06:34 am JST

Stay home hard?

Simply comes down to whether staying home results in you losing your income, and the impact that would have (losing your home for example).

Lockdowns mean different things to different people.

Sensible clear level headed workable policies to deal and support the national; vaccination program over and above ludicrous gasbag unworkable lunacy.

We have to live with Covid and take precautions. 

Your tune has certainly changed.

Just over two months ago you wrote “*Things almost back to normal, bye bye Covid and good riddance.*”

Why the shift?

blvtzp

No shift in my policies of life at all. Carrying on as usual of course. Covid is indeed on the way out as a fatal virus in Japan , due to vaccines, low obesity and general good health.

Lockdowns will do nothing at all but damage people’s health, mental and physical, especially the children.

Must be a number of further options, tailored and balanced to fit the local necessity for the communities need to function. Social care and schooling? A half in half out policy?

The social consequences of a lockdown policy needs to be weighed up to the day to day needs of the community!

Antiquesaving - thank you for the response. It seems that specifically relates to Japan and fair enough. I do respect that people are concerned about losing jobs and income, however, there are people already whose jobs are at risk, mine included, and for as long as the quasi this quasi that measures we have in place here continue that isn’t going to change. People are already losing their jobs. People are losing income and can’t afford to frequent other businesses that they would have in the past. I’m trying to look at it from two different perspectives and it’s either these pathetic “urges” in the long term or something stronger for a shorter time. I think, all things considered, I am still for harder measures being taken.

@Antiquesaving

Are your friend actually coming on this board to oppose lockdown using poor people as justification ? Going as lockdown will destroy their income as if it is currently fine ? That if they catch covid life will be rosy for them ? If their workplace have to shut for some time because of covid, no problem ?

When you are at the bottom, you know that lockdown, SOE or covid is just going to hit you bad. Thought some essential job will still proceed during lockdown/SOE : port staff, factory worker, mechanics, ...

So I do not believe the people going no lockdown here are people in such a bad situation. They are just using them. If one is anti-lockdown, one should assume its position and not try to use other as a tool.

FluteToday  07:20 pm JST

I don't know what you are talking about I don't know anyone on this comment section and my friends probably couldn't put more than 2 words in English together.

Which makes me believe more you have a clue what life is in Shitamachi or the type of people that live hear.

Ok I will make a deal, you cover the expenses of those that lose their income and I will be on board.

So put your money where your mouth is!

The government isn't going to and yes we work and yes most that haven't got the vaccine yet take their chances, why because they have no choice, welcome to reality.

I lost 3 family members back home to covid so I really do understand the dangers, but being on the street sure isn't going to be any better,

Look a the USA before the eviction moratorium and right after, people forcibly evicted because they lost jobs during the closures.

No wonder people don't get it, you think by some miracle everyone is like you capable of going without working for a time, hop on plane to visit family, etc..

The Ramen shop near my place pays ¥280,000 a month in rent, the owner needs to pay his employees then he needs money for his family, rent, food school etc..

Who is going to cover that in a lockdown? You?

First: GoToTravel. Then a resultant spike in viral infections aka SARSCoV-2.

State of Emergency: After it takes effect and reduces numbers, over the Winter months, it is lifted, cases once again spike and it is re-imposed within a month.

Olympics; Well over 500 cases of SARSCoV-2. Plus, 100,000 plus individuals in contact with international visitors.

Paralympics: Once again an influx of international guests.

A lack of vaccine prevents rapid inoculation and immunization.

Almost two years into the pandemic, certain governors call for a lockdown.

What is needed: a sufficient quantity of vaccine and plan(s) to administer it as rapidly as possible. The population needs to back it off and once again follow protocols which were highly effective. The impacts on businesses small and large have been devastating - those who have survived will be flattened by a lockdown. Those who support draconian measures are embracing a subtle form of totalitarian control that is only needed for individuals who fail to follow protocols or get immunized.

The situation is not that dire. SARSCoV-2 numbers will begin to flatten by the end of the month. What needs to be curbed, is travel and out-of-town excursions. Folks need to stay home and not wander off. The routine & habits of work can remain in place if everyone keeps masked, follows a modicum of social distancing, hand-washing, disinfectant and only go out as necessary. Businesses should remain open if they follow protocols.

As for anecdotal observation. In Nara: two izakayas, near Kintetsu Nara, are continually full of 20-somethings, un-masked, drinking and jammed in shoulder to shoulder. There are significant numbers of foreigners (I have no idea where they come from or how) who continually do not wear face masks. though I see them repeatedly, have never seen them previously. 99.9% of folks parading around downtown are masked. During the week it is mostly folks coming and going to work or doing necessary shopping. Store/shops have installed more barriers and means of keeping folks distanced or separated by barriers. Though not a large number, some folks, usually older are skipping the alcohol disinfectant upon entering the store. For the most there are no blatant violations of protocol. Almost everyone I know are am acquainted with (6 x 6) 50 and older are vaccinated. Younger folk have received their cards in the mail are scheduled for the first inoculation.

Most of the infections are from social interactions among familiars, within the home or outside, not work or school. Or random encounters.

No need to lockdown, especially in light of the government actions of the past year. There is a need to keep the borders closed. And keep folks within their own prefecture (excepting work). And most of all a supply of the vaccine for all.

@richard gallagher sure what really can solve the problem now is closing even more the borders, the only place where all people coming through are actually tested: at least once before arrival, once at the airport, if coming from a country ‘at risk’ (which surreally include places with 80% vaccination rates) a third time while in isolation at the hotel for 3 days, and for some even a fourth time after 10 days. Meanwhile in Tokyo…but blame the rest of the world, it will help for sure. Once nobody can enter anymore and the foreigners are out, I suggest pointing the finger at the poor, is a an evergreen classic.

From the Olympics example, such testing at airports only catches those who are at the infectious stage, rather than the initial incubation stage of their infection....

If the Japanese Government does change the Law, one should be careful to watch the wording - temporary measures with a fixed date or something that the Government can use in future to force their will upon any segment of the Community ?

Lockdown Chinese style, involved fencing off apartment blocks with barricades and posting Police guards so that no one could leave....

Or, isn’t it more likely that the majority of the few athletes (because again, most Olympics-related positives were actually residents of Japan) who after testing negative before departure and on arrival still got the virus, maybe got it here from one of the thousands people going in and out like the Hyogo policemen who were sharing two rooms in 100? No, it has to come from somewhere else right?