Japan eyes exempting short-term business travelers from quarantine

@drlucifer

If the number of cases cases was overrunning my local hospital then I would know well before any media outlet as I have close links with staff there.

The infection in Japan is low....

The one thing I would commend the government for is not engaging in the ridiculous total lockdown strategies that other countries have used.

If people in other countries takes covid-19 seriously like people in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong etc then there is no need for a total lockdown. Only some restrictions are needed to contain the virus. Just look at Europe, young people do not give a darn about it so infection is skyrocketing. People just will not do the right things.

The one thing I would commend the government for is not engaging in the ridiculous total lockdown strategies that other countries have used.

If peopl

One day of testing elsewhere is 10 to 20 days of testing in Japan. Think of that level of inaccuracy

theresident:

What's ridiculous? These are 'proposals' - and in the same set of proposals is the 'proposal' that residents of Japan (yes, foreigners included) won't have to Quarantine either. Its been well documented @Luddite - don't pretend you haven't read it.

Foreign residents returning don't have to quarantine? If you have a link, then post it. So tired of reading fake news.

@Dr. Do you apply this rationale/logic (low # of tests) to Japan only or to all East Asian countries?

If the number of tests in Tokyo is anayzed from a statistical point of view the sample size (now - not 4 or 5 months ago) is valid to use to extrapolate results to the population (for % infected, etc.).

I have my criticisms of Japan too but for whatever reason Japan seems to be doing quite well (especially when compared to my country of citizenship).

Finally I believe the diet in Japan is much healthier than that which exists in Western nations. This probably is something which is contributing to the lower infectoin and death rates in Japan and other East Asian countries.

Low number of test low number if infections, it is not rocket science.

@carplsidy - I am not putting my trust in the government but it seems the Japanese people and residents of Japan have acted responsibly.

The one thing I would commend the government for is not engaging in the ridiculous total lockdown strategies that other countries have used.

It is funny that my country of citizenship is called the "land of the free" but when I talk to some of my locked down friends and relatives in the U.S. it seems I am much more free in Japan when it comes to carrying on my day to day activities. Many of them now seem to "envy" this freedom.

This is a recipe for disaster, the problem with Japan doing relatively well without a real explanation why is that the people in charge feel secure enough to tempt fate like this.

opening schools, fans attending concerts, go to, including tokyo in go-to were all meant to be a disaster.

Well you doomsdayers have haven't been right so far.

I think I'll put my trust in the government whose policies have allowed life to largely return to normal, while keeping hospitals functioning normally and maintaining a regular annual death rate

@the Resident.

My comment is not at all meant to be sarcastic....really....I 100% want to be wrong about this and I really want you to be right. I just want to know where I can read about this because I honestly have not found anything indicating what you suggest.

If you can point me to something I would really appreciate it and absolutely no sarcasm meant or intended.

@Nick: Sorry one more item. You indicated Japan is doing well without an explanation. I think the East Asian countries fill into this category. I think Japan is doing well as a result of the people and other factors and not the government. There are probably some explanations as to why Japan is doing well.

For the most part people (citizens and non citizen residents) wear masks and are trying to take common sense measures to reduce the spread of the virus. The masks are not 100% effecitve but reduce the risk of spread from an infected person and also likely somewhat reduce the viral load taken in by the mask wearer. Masks have been ubiquitous in Japan for as long as I have been here (1/4 century).

Another reason is luck/fate. Some studies suggest Japan (and the other East Asian countries) were impacted by earlier/non mutated strains of the virus. In the U.S. (maybe EU as well) it seems the virus has mutated to be much more contagious.

Finally I believe the diet in Japan is much healthier than that which exists in Western nations. This probably is something which is contributing to the lower infectoin and death rates in Japan and other East Asian countries.

I do not think the government policies are responsible for the lower infection rates/death rates but i do think there is an explanatoin or at least a theory as to why.

@Nick: Japan is in the group of countries that has done very well and interestingly enough Japan has done very well without locking people down. In this case Japan is trying to initiate overseas travel (which is a good thing).

First; I always and strongly protest the way long term residents (like me) are treated and see no logic at all in the policies which restrict our movement (we are not more infections than those who carry a Japanese passport). In my case I have a business which requires me to engage in overseas travel and the restrictions are hurting me (one reason - not the only one - why the restrictions on long term residents pi$$es me off).

On the other hand I believe the Go to Travel and Go to Eat campaigns are great. We have taken advantage of these a few times and in all cases (our experience) the hotels/restaurants we visited were going to great lengths to create a safe environment. It is a way of helping business stay afloat by allowing them to do their business rather than just give out cash. Much better than my country of citizenship (the U.S.).

Japan has done well and can continue to do well while allowing long term residents the ability to leave and return to their home (Japan).

This is a recipe for disaster, the problem with Japan doing relatively well without a real explanation why is that the people in charge feel secure enough to tempt fate like this.

So, the virus can't spread if in the country if here for less than 72 hours. Unless of course you want to go to a bar. In that case the virus doesn't spread before 10pm. All of these ideas are ridiculous! I'm not saying we need to lockdown, I'm not saying we don't need to explore how to keep the economy alive. But, let's face it, these ideas are ridiculous.

What's ridiculous? These are 'proposals

Wait, I know the answer to this one! It's the 'proposals' that are ridiculous.

stay from the country's quarantine requirements provided they follow certain COVID-19 precautions, 

Countries like China, South Korea, Singapore , Vietnam, Hong Kong have successfully contained covid-19. With certain covid-19 precautions in place as mentioned in the article, it is relatively safe to bring in those travellers to resume international business activities. However, some readers has also said that unless the countries they are from agree to exempt them from 2 week quarantine when they return home, not many business people will come.

Really, what numbers are you looking. I'm looking at number of deaths. Japan Roughly 1600, the lowest in the world.

I agree that Japan has done a pretty good job containing covid-19 but number of deaths is lowest in the world. Really, what numbers are you looking at? https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

Japan covid death per 1 million population is 13. South Korea is 9. Singapore is 5. Taiwan is 0.3. Many countries has a lower death per 1 million population than Japan.

3 days are exempt, but no mention that a covid test with the traveler to enter is much smarter.

From NHK:

It is considering applying the exemption to travelers from countries and regions where the coronavirus outbreak is largely under control.

Travelers would have to submit activity plans stating the results of virus tests and places they intend to visit.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201022_19/

All saying Japan has done a bad job, look at the numbers.

Really, what numbers are you looking. I'm looking at number of deaths. Japan Roughly 1600, the lowest in the world.

What's ridiculous? These are 'proposals' - and in the same set of proposals is the 'proposal' that residents of Japan (yes, foreigners included) won't have to Quarantine either. Its been well documented @Luddite - don't pretend you haven't read it.

So well documented I haven’t seen it. Link, please.

@theResident

in the same set of proposals is the 'proposal' that residents of Japan (yes, foreigners included) won't have to Quarantine either. Its been well documented @Luddite - don't pretend you haven't read it

I have not read what you say above but I would certainly be interested in reading this. Is there a link to this? Japanese is fine. Thanks

Will these business travellers be exempt from presenting a negative PCR test before taking the flight, and test upon arrival?

We hope not.

3 days are exempt, but no mention that a covid test with the traveler to enter is much smarter.

Just in tone for the planned visit of the Olympics chief.

Once again, this is another decision based on 100% illogicality!

The only thing that's good about this is that with a few more of these exemptions, the discrimination against foreign residents will start to seem even more blatantly stupid and may change.

What's ridiculous? These are 'proposals' - and in the same set of proposals is the 'proposal' that residents of Japan (yes, foreigners included) won't have to Quarantine either. Its been well documented @Luddite - don't pretend you haven't read it.

Business travellers don’t have to quarantine, but those who live here have to.

Bloody ridiculous. If the rules are to mitigate the spread of the of the virus they should apply across the board.

The World has to get moving again - Period. South Korea and Taiwan have very low infection rates in the big scheme of things. People here are very welcome to be critical of Japan, but try looking a little further afield to Europe, for example. @Matej: You still want a lockdown? Seriously?

All saying Japan has done a bad job, look at the numbers.  Pragmatic and commonsense approach has worked well it seems.  I don't think that this additional relaxation of restrictions is foolish at all.