Tokyo to end shorter hours for bars; virus alert to be lowered

And the result? Infections will rise again.

Maybe, but then obon, go-to, schools opening were meant to result in disaster and they didnt

Guess the diet members need somewhere to go after putting in their late night shifts

Koike's cunning plan? Gotta get Tokyo ready for the Olympics, desu ne!

There comes a time when you have to balance when you have to recognize and recover people's right to earn a living, despite what the haters say...

If everyone does the right thing and takes precautional measures then it should be fine. Enjoy some normalities but at the same time be careful.

@Yoshisan

I completely agree!

But can I go again to Girls Bars?

madness. but I expect nothing better from this inept government.

The plan will be finalized following talks with a panel of experts on Thursday, the source said.

experts indeed!

There comes a time when you have to balance when you have to recognize and recover people's right to earn a living, despite what the haters say...

It is much easier to complain about what other people are doing than looking at your own life. I guarantee the complainers are living their lives the same that they did pre-pandemic.

So when can we expect our coupon for discounts at host\hostess clubs.........good grief!

We’ve heard this song before.

Chasing the Olympic fools gold, the ‘Olympics will go ahead regardless.’, a few days later ‘relax restrictions’.

However, to be fair it won’t make much difference considering The leadership void and the Government response to the pandemic has been to do nothing.

...and incase you’re wondering, yes. This is a complaint message.

Was never being enforced anyway.

Apart from Restaurants who are in Corporate Buildings/Hotels etc, no one has paid any attention to these rules anyway. Only one of my favourite restaurants has been closing at 10, and that was enforced on them by the owner of the building. Don't really see what all the fuss is about. If you were a Restaurant/Bar owner would 200,000 Yen have seen you through what has been quite a lengthy restriction?

Tokyo to end shorter hours for bars

Semantics. Tokyo to stop asking pretty please that bars curtail their hours.

Infections will rise again. Just look at the UK

While I totally support the idea of keep reopening the economy and going back to the new normal, I believe it is still important to ensure the government is not sending the “wrong message” of going back to normal without emphasising how crucial it is to continue wearing mask indoors at all times, and keep social distancing whenever possible.

I see many people in my office not wearing mask inside anymore - not to mention the social distancing.

Yes the economy has to work as much as possible as per normal - totally agree here - however it is crucial to balance both, to avoid what is happening in other parts of the world where restrictions are put in place again (!!) due to people relaxing too much regarding precautions, thinking the virus evaporated by some kind of miracle.

This news that bars have been closed in Tokyo at 10pm was a big shock. In the countryside where I live, they close when the last customer leaves.

It's a pretty sensible move, all things considered. As someone else mentioned, the explosion in cases that some expected following obon never eventuated, suggesting the virus could be running out of puff.

Just let the economy open up again, ensure that the most vulnerable people are properly protected and let the rest of us get back to a normal life. Restrictions - voluntary or otherwise - are strangling Japan and other countries and are becoming worse than the disease they were supposed to be combatting.

Or maybe that was the whole point.

So many people believe that the govt has done nothing and is doing nothing to stem the spread of infection.

Or what the govt is doing are useless.

And yet here we are, so few deaths and serious cases?

What could be the reason?

i@n

And yet here we are, so few deaths and serious cases?

What could be the reason?

They're reforming Japan (mostly Tokyo) on the pretext of virus mitigation.

They want to pose mandatory curfews, remove nightlife from Tokyo, install apps from your phone with location enabled and even control when you travel.

@wraither

Uuuuaaahhhh....scary!

Are we going into a surveillance state or Police State?

A call to arms to all the degenerates, sexpats, and scally waggers.

Flashbacks to June anybody? 

What happened in June?

They're reforming Japan (mostly Tokyo) on the pretext of virus mitigation.

They want to pose mandatory curfews, remove nightlife from Tokyo, install apps from your phone with location enabled and even control when you travel.

Are you ok? Maybe you should check your temp.

This very article is about restrictions being relaxed.

Japanese people are easily scared, conform and don’t kiss each other on the check twice every five minutes or shake hands. Also racist to Chinese.

There's no way around it right?

If govt efforts are useless or no efforts at all then this has to be the reason.

You and Aso are in agreement though you have different ways of saying it.

In Aso's term the reason is Japanese mindo.

Having fun spreads the virus. So bars etc. are out.

Laughing spreads the virus. So, socializing is out.

Mask covers my smile. That’s half communication. They can’t cover the eyes. Well, they could force goggles, I guess.

The living dead.

But online life supporting mega-billionaires.

Yes, we must maintain the pretence that the Olympics will happen normally and nothing else is going on in the world.

A good call. Life should go on.

Experts at what? Acting like fools? The experts should be renamed Covidiots

On Wednesday, the capital reported 149 new cases, down from 300 to 500 in early to mid-August.

And today it's back up to 276. It's also been announced that Tokyo will be included in the Go To Travel campaign, the Go To Eat campaign will start shortly, and there's a 4-day long weekend coming up. Why are they so short-sighted?

And if in a few weeks from now, Tokyo sees another spike in the virus, it will reimpose these restrictions once more. It's just like a roller coaster.

Herd immunity, people speak of it as if it is an absolute, and an easy one at that. Do you know how long it will take to achieve herd immunity?

Let people live their lives.

Let people live their lives responsibly, which means doing their best to avoid putting others at risk of debilitating illness or even death. We're still in the middle of a pandemic ffs.

Nothing to say,

Experience is the best teacher. Let people go back to normal and see what happens. If Japan really is "special" and nothing happens, great, let's all get on with life. If things get out of hand, people will learn a valuable lesson.

Herd immunity....

You do realize that doing so will result in a lot of deaths as well...right? Would you be ok if your family members or loved ones are the people who die? Or are all your loved ones in another country, that is why you are calling for heed immunity in Japan! Some foreign people living in Japan especially Americans are whining everyday to open up the country so they can go around partying ( some even without mask )! Let the Japanese run their country the way they want to whether good or bad, shut or open... and if you don’t like it then just go back to the US!

There is the above headline: "Tokyo to end shorter hours for bars; virus alert to be lowered" and then there another headline: "Tokyo reports 276 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 692." You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that Tokyo is still in a crisis. Yet the Tokyo government seems unable to see the obvious.

Going for non-vaccine herd immunity is the covid version of letting yourself go. It's a basic abandonment of leadership and direction. I pity people in countries that take this route.

Cooler weather allows the virus to become much more resilient, as a result Infections will rise again

Those who never went to bars don't want others to go and have the fun they never had. Misery loves company. As if this is really going to matter amid all the other stuff that is going on.

Or its the end of the world. Take your pick.

Death rate still low in Japan. Go ahead and inhale some oxygen.