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© KYODOJapan to extend state of emergency again; set road map to lift curbs
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60 Comments
kurisupisu
I feel the urge for a steak coming on….
hmmm1
They keep moving the goalposts.
jiji Xx
dumb! more and more people will more and more ignore the 'rules', I think.....
enolagay
As long as we can drink at a bar after 8pm like normal people
divinda
Suga was a fall guy from the outset.
Say what you will about Abe, but he is not a political fool and he saw the writing on the wall with they way the pandemic was developing. So once he got his tenure past the day of becoming the "longest serving PM", he immediately got out.
At that point, with the pandemic on its way to creating the disruption and uncertainty that it did, the path to any sort of success was a massive gamble, with criticism inevitable and failure very likely no matter what choices were made. Only a fool, a puppet, or a narcissist would have dared attempt to take the helm.
factchecker
Does that include abolishing self isolation rules for returning fully vaccinated permanent residents?
oldman_13
Good news!!!
Noriyon73
A Japanese citizen married to an American and who has a green card wants to come to Japan to renew the Japanese driver's license by June 6, 2022. That person has a month before the birthday and a month after the birthday to renew it, but cannot take time off because that person is an RN in California. Is there any way to avoid retaking the expensive driving courses after the final expiration date? The Japanese government does not respond to any email requests. HELP!
GenHXZ
There are no 'rules', unless you are entering from another country (but if were connected to olympics, then those 'rules' didn't apply) Any 'rules' inside the country were obserbed the same as riding your bike using an umbrella - basically ignored.
theResident
@Noriyon73: Not the end of the world. I know several people who have run over the date. There is an 'Expired' window at the proper license centres, so won''t be able to renew at a Police Station (even if Gold) OR on a Sunday which is for 'clean renewals'.
Just make sure he/she has all the right paperwork, the only problem I foresee is still having a registered address here as I believe with an expired license you need to turn up with a hard copy of residence from your local city/ward office.
anon99999
is this correct? Is this talking about Japan? You have to show proof of a negative COVID test to do cross prefectural borders? To who ? Do they have police at the prefectural borders? ( Last timeI drove across one there weren’t any) What about on the trains as they cross the prefectural borders? (And how can you even get a COVID test anyhow). Are they really asking to see a negative covid test result before one flies anywhere domestically in Japan?
If all this is the plan for the future it does not sound good to me. We do not need the Australian model here.
Moderator
Readers, the story has been corrected to show that you do not have to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test before crossing prefectural borders.
bo
Avoid crowded places but not the overcrowded trains to work.
People need to realise this is all about control.
Pandemic, really? No one has the flu anymore?
Ligger2
49% of Japan's population has been fully vaccinated (two shots).
It has taken seven months to get to this point.
Jacko
Just in time for the high school sports competitions to start, the Haruko Volleyball, High School Football (100th anniversary by the way) and the Hakone Ekiden. So this could go either really well or really badly.
Aly Rustom
Japan to ease COVID-19 restrictions around November
Then watch the testing drop abysmally in the next 2 months
Wakarimasen
Remains to be seen. Many other countries have announced relaxation of restrictions more than once, only to backtrack in the face of increased infections or new variants.
shogun36
Ease?
Right, I’ll believe it when I’m actually able to travel to the States and back without having to be locked up in Tokyo for two weeks upon arrival before going home.
ShinkansenCaboose
In the last 12 weeks I have ridden the Shinkansen three times and flown on ANA and JAL. Nobody ever asks to show our vaccine papers. They do politely ask about the red tag with the cross. Planes more crowded than the bullet trains.
For the person that asked about the driver’s license. It used to be for an American license, you just had to sit in a refresher course and they would issue you the Japanese license. Am not sure anymore, but will ask around.
Tom San
Easing up the restrictions equates to spreading more COVID.
OssanAmerica
@Noriyon
The J-D/L can expire. It is not needed in the US since it requres an Intntl Drivers Permit (issued by JAF) and it's only valid for 1 year anyway. Upon return to Japan and with a registered address ( 住民票) in Japan a new J-D/L can be obtained without any driving or written test. The only requirement is that the person had a valid unrevoked J-D/L in the past, even if currently expired. So there is no need to come back to Japan just for the D/L at this time when travel is a P.I.A.
As a J-national living in CA, the person can apply for a CA State D/L with a CA address. If a PR in in posession they will get a normal D/L. If the PR is still in application, they will get one but is stamped not authorized to work.
fxgai
See, it doesn’t matter what the result of the election is, the government has already set a course anyway.
Eddy Lee
Didnt know they have had restrictions
proxy
I like the measured approach Japan has taken instead of the extreme "police state" tactics seen in Australia and France.
Dango bong
do they have a crystal ball telling them what the numbers and conditions will be in November? wow
Noriyon73
@theResident and @Ossan. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. He/she hopes to find an 'Expired' window at the proper license centres in Hamamatsu or Shizuoka since the DL was issued in Iwata. Both of you are the GREATEST.
Strangerland
How have you gotten this far in the pandemic and don't know what 'modeling' is?
Hint: it's not a crystal ball.
Concerned Citizen
@anon99999
Well said.
Tokyoite
Literally in the case of the Club World Cup.
Raw Beer
Yep!
And there will likely be another wave starting in November, just in time to extend the restrictions till next spring...
stormcrow
I love going to sushi shops, but I don't go now because of the coronavirus.
When I drive by my favorite sushi shop at lunch time and look at it longingly, I can't believe the parking lot is packed with cars and people are standing in line waiting for a space to open. A lot of people are apparently not afraid to gamble when it comes to eating sushi.
vendingmachinemusic
@noriyon73
Japan govt and regulatory agencies don't usually allow for exemptions. To have a drivers license in Japan you need a residence, so that would probably be their first problem unless their jyuminhou is at their jikka, then they will be fine. They should call their local driver license center, (not an embassy, etc). ask to speak to a higher up, email them, get a firm answer in writing.
Most likely, it will be a scripted response that you have to reapply for license. again, japan doesn't like exceptions to the rules.
If they have been in USA for over 3 months consecutively, and have a USA drivers license for those 3 months, they can do what is called gaimenkirikae. You transfer your USA drivers license to Japan license, and you do not have to go to the school again. There is a simple test true false test, and actual driving test. If you are a good driver you can pass the driving test, and the true false test is so easy, if you fail, then you shouldn't be operating 1200kg moving steel box.
Easiest thing is just come back to Japan to renew. As a Japanese citizen they can still travel freely, just have to quarantine at present state.
theResident
Well @Raw Beer... You know what to do if you want to play your part in that NOT happening.
Gorramcowboy
This is all so ponderous. Clueless gov't with clueless measures.
theResident
62,000,000 million people fully vaccinated as of September 7th. That now puts the anti vaxxers officially in the minority. We are well on track for the plans above and not have to return to measures after.
crowbag
lol I'm sorry, what restrictions are there now?
Tom San
Pro-vax team, RAH, RAH, RAH!
"Anti-vax team", BOO, BOO, BOO!
theResident
Mm. 'most of us' would define something above 50%. So that is an incorrect statement. As are your continued claims about Ivermectin. It's almost laughable.
didou
62,000,000 is less than 50% of the population, around 49%
I am vaccinated, but not for covid yet, and I am not an anti vaxxer. Please refrain to mix both, and to always refer to non vaccinated as anti vaxxer.
theResident
@didiou - Its actually probably more than 50% as those under 12 are not eligible. Also - I am not referring to the non vaxxed as anti-vax - merely pointing out that their views and opinions have not held weight with the public at large as the pace of vaccinations is unabated at around 1,000,000 a day.
didou
You are right.
Understood.
As for Japan, there is not any anti-vax movement. Just people are keeping quiet as often here.
theResident
There are indeed anti-vax/anti-mask/covid denying groups here constantly protesting outside major train stations.
Please read this appalling article: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210522/p2a/00m/0na/008000c
Sven Asai
You intentionally wanted and insisted in the strategy ‘living with the virus’, so just show that you can do that and abide to it and stop crying all day long about those misleading errors you made. Thanks.
Scorpion
Japan Gov't: Let's extend a state of meaningless emergency, and then let's make a road map because by the time our meaningless SOE is over the Virus will be G O N E!
Pukey2
divinda:
Exactly. Anyone with a brain cell could see right through him. He just needs one more fall guy (or gal) before he makes his comeback after a miracle recovery.
Paul14
My employer has decided we are all returning to normal school on Monday. I was informed today. So, exactly how do I avoid crowded areas?
ian
As long as necessary.
And keep on jabbing..
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
Noriyon
International driving permit may suffice for the Japanese citizen with a green card who lives in USA providing they have a driver's license .
Or is that why the Japanese license needs renewal ?
HBJ
The road map is as follows:
The new incoming PM will announce the end of the SoE and take all the credit for doing so.
This will boost their approval rating.
General election announced.
The media spread the approval rating around.
The high approval rating convinces enough people to vote for the PM.
LDP stay in power.Thunderbird2
Here in the UK last year there were barely any cases of the 'flu... thanks to lockdown and people not mixing the virus couldn't really spread. This winter might be different, but lockdowns don't just slow down Covid infections.
Flute
@Noriyon73
Not sure but I would suggest : apply in US to have a valid US driver license. If not possible to come back before the expiry date of the japanese one. Ask for the valid US one to be converted in japanese one (there will be a test, except if it is an Indiana one and a fee) :
https://jref.com/threads/driving-in-the-us-japanese-or-international-license.37111/
https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/driving-in-japan/