JAL Express and ANA aircraft are seen at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Photo: AP file
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Virus emergency prompts cuts in domestic flights, bullet trains

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19 Comments
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Tried this early closing everything in the U.K., it didn’t work.. The problem with closing everything at 8pm means everyone will be swarming on public transport to go home at the same time. Super spreading opportunities, enforced by the authorities. Either close these non-essential places or stagger the closing times.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

That’s bare of any logic regarding avoidance of crowded places and make distancing possible. If it could the virus would happily thank in advance for implementing most possible stupid measures like this.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Just came back from Kyoto via bullet train. There were five of us in a Green Car. Other green car had 3. One regular coach had 12.

I think they are making cuts due to lack of customers. Traveling sure is easy though.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Totally irresponsible.

Rather than have less passengers, some social distance and an overall safer way to travel they do this, cut the flights/train frequency so passengers are still crammed in together. Shameful.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

@TokyoJoe

Shinkansens and planes are not crowded that's why they are cutting services..

It makes perfect sense to cut services!

Not shameful.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

SandyBeachHeaven Today  04:12 pm JST

Just came back from Kyoto via bullet train. There were five of us in a Green Car. Other green car had 3. One regular coach had 12.

The ‘week long’ trip to Kyoto you posted about Wednesday finished today?

Did anything happen to make you cut the trip short?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Whatever the reason, a fall in flight numbers is GOOD news for the planet - especially when we are talking about unnecessary domestic flights - and in a country with a great high speed train network.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

How do you escape from heavy snow, -2 degrees, lockdowns etc...to the sunny fresh air of the islands of Okinawa? Can’t go to Hawaii anymore...

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

I think they are making cuts due to lack of customers. 

Ya think? Of course that's why, it even says so in the article.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@dan

Shinkansens and planes are not crowded that's why they are cutting services..

Yes, like I said, they are cutting services to try to make them crowded again.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@TokyoJoe

They are not 'purposefully' making them crowded mate.

They are reducing them coz it's a waste of jet fuel and power to send a plane or train from A to B with hardly any passengers on it.

The shinkansen is still pretty empty and even if some services are cut will NOT lead to overcrowding during this COVID19 emergency.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Life goes on. Get those vaccines rolling! I am waiting for my jab in the arm Mr. Suga.

Why does everybody seem to think a vaccine is the solution? That is months away and life does go on, that is why it is important to wear a mask and wash your hands.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Your arguments are nonsense. Yes, some Shinkansen and planes are not crowded and may be cut (or not) But please have a short look at the quantities, as also commuting buses and trains are cut in schedules. Those are the numbers and almost sure future clusters, spreading whatever, not only corona but also anything else. If you see what is going on daily on platforms, in local trains, in station buildings , department store buildings , bigger companies and the like, believe me only one percent of what I tell you, you can cut your Shinkansen, flights or pub times and all this, or let it be as it was before, that has merely no significant influence on the further exponentially increasing infection data. Every bet, all in... lol

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Sven Tokyo has a massive population it will always be overcrowded on the trains and buses!

If you really want to avoid it perhaps leave Tokyo would be best in the long run!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's going to get worse.

Then what?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@dan Sorry , but that’s no news. All cities are having such problems with crowded buses and trains, already since long ago before any corona. That’s not my point. The question is, what to do in the current time with a severe and often life-threatening pandemic. And so I tell you and all others, to think cuts over and put more buses on the road and more trains on the rails instead of cutting their schedules. In fact a number is needed so that at minimum the ordered social distancing can be done. Triple it up, or better quadruple, and so on. Every 30 seconds a merely empty train, whatever is possible. Who can throw out tons of money for flying to a small meteorite in space and bringing back nothing than dust or so, very easily can produce the necessary number of buses or train wagons to avoid further infections. But I know, it’s more likely that an increase in death tolls is widely accepted than to act after normal logical thinking. So be it then....lol

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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