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Government advisor sparks anger with tweet laughing off calls for Olympic cancelation

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“With just over 10,000 fatalities, Japan has suffered fewer deaths than other countries, but has lagged in rolling out its vaccine program”

This line is repeated every single day in every need outlet. This assertion based on fuzzy maths...is it suppossed to make me feel safer?

68 ( +69 / -1 )

This line is repeated every single day in every need outlet. This assertion based on fuzzy maths...is it suppossed to make me feel safer?

They like to brag to the rest of the world that their is not many deaths compared to other countries. The thing is, Japan has the highest number of cases compared to it's neighbors.

48 ( +49 / -1 )

Obviously one of the experts we've been hearing about but rarely seen. Dawn the peasants

34 ( +35 / -1 )

Ex Finance bureaucrat, sounds about right (how’s the economy doing for the masses?) good job! Now advising the PM about a Medical emergency. Again good job? Explains a lot as to why both are a mess. Advising might not be the strongest arrow in his quiver. Adviser choice by the PM, he sure, does pick the most failure motivated advisers. Shows the competence of the way the LDP go about governance.

44 ( +45 / -1 )

There are ripples , he is right.

But in that case, why the politicians are making all that fuss with SOE and so. If only ripples, no measures should be necessary

32 ( +32 / -0 )

Damn the peasants.

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Takahashi, a former finance ministry bureaucrat, is known to be close to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and met with him as recently as a week ago, according to local media.

Wonder how "Professor" Takahashi treats his students and the reputation of his research among other academics.

https://jglobal.jst.go.jp/en/detail?JGLOBAL_ID=201001019501034543

He is an economist, the dismal science . Explains the trickle down, neo-liberal policies of the LDP in this pandemic. Peasants and proles are how his ilk view the public.

31 ( +31 / -0 )

Since when was 10,000 preventable deaths okay? 1 preventable death is too many.

44 ( +45 / -1 )

gogogoToday  07:13 am JST

Since when was 10,000 preventable deaths okay? 1 preventable death is too many.

Exactly. And with the Games the potential is even worse.  Yoichi Takahashi thinks it's funny? He thinks it's nothing? Since when is 10000 deaths just 'nothing'? This ain't funny at all!

29 ( +29 / -0 )

What age are we living in? Living people in the seats is NOT NECESSARY. A campaign should be started to sell the Olympics exclusively via a fully IOC/Japan owned network by subscription. Cancel any existing media contracts for broadcast rights and market the Olympics directly to the actual consumers, one of the biggest media events of the year. Subscription gives replay, recording, interviews, and all of the other things which video provides. Given the streaming technology apparently available, and a whole menagerie of CGI 'fans' to be imagined marketing all manner of product placements, and only the highly sequestered athletes and judges to be in physical attendence, the World could still celebrate the Olympics, and be just as pleased as if all of those fans in the stands were real...Seriously, the very first Olympics held, in a sense, entirely over our new friend, the Internet. There are two things we are always confronted with and that is the road fork with two signs. One sign points in the direction of "STOP". The other sign points in the direction of "ADAPT". Which of these two does Life itself prefer? Can we not learn even a little from Life?

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The analyst obviously believes the positive number count (based on 3-8 thousand tests daily). Some analyst huh.

A tsunami is also a ripple in the ocean...will he laugh again?

25 ( +25 / -0 )

We are are already playing baseballs, footballs, tennis, swimming, boxing, wrestling, horse races, table tennis, volleyballs, etc. everywhere now.

There is no reasons why we cannot do Olympic games in Japan.

-34 ( +4 / -38 )

The gov and the rest of the ruling class has pretty much given up the charade of pretending to care and has shown its true colors and disdain for the people of this country to the point that a gov advisor can laugh in the face of the people.

Well guess what Japanese people, YOU voted these clowns in. So you deserve to be laughed at

32 ( +32 / -0 )

Suga said he "will not comment on what Takahashi said in his personal capacity."

Too spineless to take a stance on anything. And, by the way, a public official commenting on a public platform is not "personal".

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Addendum: Each country would have design control over its own CGI 'fans'. We could see what each country thinks of itself...

1 ( +5 / -4 )

*'....former finance ministry bureaucrat....'*

Tells you all you need to know about Japan's Covid experts, response and attitude.

I suppose he was drunk?

15 ( +15 / -0 )

“With just over 10,000 fatalities, Japan has suffered fewer deaths than other countries, but has lagged in rolling out its vaccine program”

Cut and paste still working then?

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Ok, so now the question is not if the government is trying to self-sabotage the games, but why.

22 ( +22 / -0 )

Takahashi's post, belies the fact that Japan's medical system hitherto untested in a mass casualty contingency scenario is woefully unprepared and near collapse. At yesterday's diet session it was noted that 90% of positive cases in Osaka could not be admitted to the hospital due to lack of resources; this is a travesty. Further, patients with severe illnesses and conditions are being moved out of ICU to make room for Covid patients. This government has been playing catch up with a virus that is out-pacing all of their half-measured actions and adding the Olympics to this already toxic mix is going to stress the medical system beyond its limits. Takahashi is an idiot if he can't see this, but then since he's Suga's advisor, it's no wonder the medical community are cleaning up his droppings.

20 ( +20 / -0 )

@Socrateos - How many domestic events require 10's of thousands of international visitors from all over the world, require the diversion of medical professionals to these events, and cost the taxpayers billions of dollars?

I will wait for your answer but I will give you a hint....starts with "z" ends with "o" and it is a 4 letter word.

Right now several professional baseball teams are not allowing attendees. I like baseball and enjoy watching but it is not the same without fans in the stands.

If you are OK with diverting medical professionals from a Pandemic to some games then that is your opinion however most Japanese citizens and most foreign residents would disagree with you.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

When asked about Takahashi's comments during a parliamentary hearing on Monday, Suga said he "will not comment on what Takahashi said in his personal capacity."

When you are a public figure, and an advisor, you dont have a "personal capacity" everything you put out on social media is public!

If you want it to be in a "personal capacity" resign all your positions, become a "private" person, and then feel free to tweet from your butt! Personally speaking that is!

16 ( +16 / -0 )

I am guessing Takahashi kun is not so good at math. It is probably also why his financial plans are not so good when it comes to benefiting the Japanese people.

First, the Covid cases in Japan are hugely underreported (I will not even say "likely" here...and I normally would) due to the fact that the number of tests, especially in Tokyo, are so low. I see he is a university professor however even a freshman or sophomore with the most basic comprehension of statistics would know that the test methodology used in Japan and the low number of tests will not present even close to an accurate picture of the true situation here. If Koike would have followed up with her 65,000 tests per day (or whatever the number was) then I would say differently...but she did not.

Secondly and extrapolating further, we all know that the performance of an autopsy is not the norm in Japan and lacking diagnosis due to the unbelievably low amount of testing performed and with no or few autopsies it is logical to draw the conclusion that the reported deaths here are much lower than reality; possibly by an order of magnitude or more.

I always held back when saying this but it now seems quite obvious the government has been engaged in actively trying to suppress the true situation in Japan and it would seem, especially based on their actions and statements now, the purpose of this is so that they can all save face and serve their IOC masters (as Suga said, these are the ultimate decision makers).

The fact that Suga could not even comment on this is just unreal, especially considering the fact that there are people literally dying at home due to lack of ICU beds.

Suga is in over his head and seems to be a coward to me.

20 ( +20 / -0 )

This is the biggest problem with pols in Japan. Was a lobbyist for the construction industry for years. This dolt was then a finance ministry adviser under Aso then went to the LDP Central Committee Board under the DPJ run 2009 to 2012. Came back under Abe as an adviser in the communications ministry. 2017 appointed to the leadership board of the education, health and labor ministry. 2019 appointed to Olympic Advisery Committee on Health and Safety Standards.

Absolutely no experience in finance, communications, education, or heatlth but is an adviser on such issues. But is a lobbyist and big LDP poobah. Is not elected but has a decision making ability. That is Japanese politics right there.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

Japanese Professors and teachers are a joke. Its the blind leading the blind. Leadership is non-existent in this country.

21 ( +22 / -1 )

Wonder how "Professor" Takahashi treats his students and the reputation of his research among other academics.

https://jglobal.jst.go.jp/en/detail?JGLOBAL_ID=201001019501034543

A professor since 2007, has authored 8 "books" between 2006-2008 (five, yes, FIVE in 2007 alone) one called:"The Japanese Economy is not in Danger!".

My translation, and yes, it does have an exclamation mark.

This is the calibre of a top government advisor.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

He's an economist, not a medical expert. This is what happens if you see people as numbers and work as an advisor for a government that does the same.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

Kaetsu University Professor Yoichi Takahashi and Suga san are not fit to do their jobs. Intelligent people understand the truth. And their truth is not ours.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

He is one of the stupidest government advisors. He doesn't know what he is speaking about. Why Suga selected that kind of person as advisor?

16 ( +16 / -0 )

What an idiot.

If Corona is "just a ripple" in Japan, why can't I go drinking out at night with my friends?

18 ( +18 / -0 )

"This guy is a professor. No wonder Japanese universities rarely, if ever, crack the top 30 best universities in the world."

LOL, Kyoto Tolyo and Tohoku and Nagoya, all in the top 20.

-22 ( +2 / -24 )

Not so funny if the real death numbers are over 10 times more as suggested here to over 100,000

http://www.healthdata.org/special-analysis/estimation-excess-mortality-due-covid-19-and-scalars-reported-covid-19-deaths.

Everyone knows the official number of cases in Japan is underreported due to the low restricted testing. Why should we believe the official death numbers.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

"This assertion based on fuzzy maths"

and what fuzzy math is that. Any proof?

-14 ( +1 / -15 )

Quote: ''Government advisor sparks anger with tweet''.

You can tell how triggered people are when news like this makes headlines because of a government advisor making a tweet. People definitely enjoying hitting the same ball and telling each other how right they are.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

LOL, Kyoto Tolyo and Tohoku and Nagoya, all in the top 20.

They absolutely aren't.

https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2021

Todai is 24th and Kyoto 38th.

19 ( +19 / -0 )

I think it's important to say the things that affect the events that you are part of and stuff. I hope the attention to seeing the effects will prepare the, you know the way it will happen. The Olympics is something important and stuff so it should be done right, so maybe it should be held and maybe not.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

"LOL...yeah maybe in the top 20 of the uyo world that consists of Japan only ...thanks for the morning joke."

Really, LOOk for yourself:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2020/world-

-15 ( +0 / -15 )

A Japanese government advisor literally laughing at the deaths of 10,000 people.

More will continue to die, but whatever - let’s Olympics.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I am guessing Takahashi kun is not so good at math. It is probably also why his financial plans are not so good when it comes to benefiting the Japanese people.

He has a mathematics degree from Tokyo University!

So you must abase yourself in respectful awe of his every pronouncement.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

This economics "professor" is a corrupt disgrace. All he cares about is money and kickbacks, he has his snout permanently in the taxpayer trough, with no regard for lives or safety.

I hope this "professor" is fired and never works again.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

No wonder Japanese universities rarely, if ever, crack the top 30 best universities in the world.

LOL, thats why Japan produced so many Nobel prizes winners.

-18 ( +0 / -18 )

The word "Go" will soon be associated with bad ideas such as GoTo Travel. Like the US "War On" it will become associated with failure.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Tokyo-Engr

How many domestic events require 10's of thousands of international visitors from all over the world

They have already announced months ago to have no spectators from abroad. None. Zero. You didn't know?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

gogogo

Since when was 10,000 preventable deaths okay? 1 preventable death is too many.

To claim they were "preventable" is absurd and idiotic.

When there is a fatal disease going around, people die. That's what has happened in every country around the world.

The only way to prevent these deaths would have been to lock everyone in their homes for the entire period. But of course that would have been literally impossible, since people had to distribute food, produce electricity, etc.

Maybe some of these deaths could indeed have been prevented if different policies had been implemented. But then you need to say what those policies would have been and how many lives would have been saved. Otherwise you are just another lazy and hysterical armchair critic.

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

Dear Mr. Y. Takahashi, I am glad that your are where you belong in a CAGE somewhere on a campus with your head is buried in books and sand. I am sure you see this world thru a very narrow hole in the library wall, and I am also sure you been Vaccinated too.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Either we are being scammed, or we are being scammed.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

A professor in Japan is just somebody who spent more time on university benches than other graduates.

a degree one gets once the entrance exam is past, the rest is just a question of time.

i wonder how many professors Japan has, must be in their hundred thousands judging from all the different faces in the media. The number of universities is also extremely high yrt the level of education extremely low.

The university rankings have nothing to do with the quality of education but with the rate of students getting a degree. As in Japan and Korea that only depends on your parents status, money and passing an entrance examination ( proven to be manipulated with countless times) these countries universities are ranked that high

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Is there a quota to the number of times an outlet must repeat that Japan has a lower [reported] death count to keep its certification? I hear it everyone, like it can be wished into reality via repetition.

It's not too surprising a position from Takahashi, we kind of expect most of leadership either feels the same or isn't willing to risk the money to challenge those who do.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@Socrateos

Tokyo-Engr

How many domestic events require 10's of thousands of international visitors from all over the world

They have already announced months ago to have no spectators from abroad. None. Zero. You didn't know?

Thank you for your reply and concern. Yes I know that no foreign spectators are allowed at the Olympics. (and have know for a while). I am talking about the athletes, support staff, media, etc.

Please refer to the article below. The number of people is expected to be

"11,000 athletes plus tens of thousands of officials, coaches, media members and support staff members converging on Tokyo."

This is in the 4th paragraph of the referenced article which also mentions the fact you stated that there will be no foreign spectators.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/05/01/tokyo-olympics-coronavirus/

Thank you for identifying this issue which I could have included in my original post.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

LOL, thats why Japan produced so many Nobel prizes winners.

Japan only has 28. That's less than Russia and Sweden.

What's your point?

16 ( +16 / -0 )

No surprise at all.

Common sense is not taught in schools. Cramming and passing exams doesn't make one smart.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Suga san go to TV and cancel olympics now.

This may be one and only positive moment during your PM term...

And shortly after when under the IOC contract (the same every host country agreed to) Tokyo starts getting demands for compensation from sponsors, broadcasting companies, etc.. in the several billions of dollars, everyone will then turn on him for doing so!

He does have a way out and that would be something no Japanese government official will do.

Go on TV tell the world and IOC that they need to cancel, by putting the blame and pressure on the IOC it may just may feel the international pressure and cancel.

If the IOC is the one that cancels the games that gets Tokyo of the hook from having to pay compensation!

Tokyo has already lost as much as 15 billion dollars, it really cannot afford to pay several more billion.

I suspect if the Olympics survive future host and sponsors will rethink agreeing to these one way contracts where the IOC has zero responsibility.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Since when was 10,000 preventable deaths okay? 1 preventable death is too many.

One stressed out unemployed single mother, in severe debt, physically abused by her partner, accidentally kills her screaming 1 year old child. One year, about five cases.

but...

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@socrateos

They have already announced months ago to have no spectators from abroad. None. Zero. You didn't know?

@Tokyo-Engr us still correct.

As of March the last time very heard any announcements in how many would attend the games.

There were 90,000 Athletes, officials, team support staff, etc.. going to be in Japan from around the world.

The IOC said it was going to cut that down by half hoping to go as low as 30,000.

But after that no information has been given as to if they actually did cut the 90,000 down or to what level they cut the number down to if they did.

So at best they may have figured out how to cut the number of pe6 to 30,000.

30,000 may not sound like a lot considering the 126 million population of Japan but think how difficult it will actually be to test all 30,000 daily ( plus the rest of the testing needed for Japan) and how the logistics of keeping 30,000 arriving nearly simultaneously in this supposed bubble along with all the Japanese support staff, workers, etc..

To actually have a really bubble they claim a minimum of 60,000 to 90,000 people including staff , coaches, athletes, Olympics officials, government officials from various countries, etc.. would have to remain in this fantasy bubble.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Japan has 28 Nobel prizes. The UK, a small island nation with a population half of Japan, has 133. Oh, and the UK has the world's number one best university.

Not well known fact is that Japan is the only country in the world to establish a liaison office in Stockholm with the sole purpose of wining and dining the Nobel officials there, something the US and UK don’t have.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

@Eisenach

No wonder Japanese universities rarely, if ever, crack the top 30 best universities in the world.

> Eisenach wrote:

LOL, thats why Japan produced so many Nobel prizes winners.

LOL! What poor logic!

A first world country with the third largest economy can't break in the top 30 of ranked universities in the world which is why Japan only has less than 30 Nobel prize winners despite such a huge population.

Japan does not even have the highest ranked university in Asia!

14 ( +14 / -0 )

@Tom Doley

Not well known fact is that Japan is the only country in the world to establish a liaison office in Stockholm with the sole purpose of wining and dining the Nobel officials there, something the US and UK don’t have.

Sounds like how they won the 2020 Olympics bid!

I wonder if this is how they get all those "World Heritage" designations.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

think how difficult it will actually be to test all 30,000 daily

It would’ve been nice of them to at least try testing 30,000 a day for a sustained period of time just to work out the logistics of it and whether they can manage it.

It would’ve been nice for them to do it for the good of the local people and to try and understand the actual spread of the virus - but they haven’t even done it in the name of the Olympics.

I presume there will be a specific testing and processing site set up and operating in the athletes village - which begs the question where are all the specific testing and processing sites doing 30,000 tests around the country? Where is the trial site? (Is the answer America, or the UK).

5 ( +5 / -0 )

With just over 10,000 fatalities, Japan has suffered fewer deaths than other countries, but has lagged in rolling out its vaccine program and seen a surge in cases in recent weeks.

This mantra shows how arrogant some people are, and makes me want to vomit each time I see it.

Btw: Some third World countries have even fewer deaths, and have done much better in responding to this pandemic than Japan, and we never see them uttering such like the above.

Simple Google Search of a few selected Thirds world countries Corona Deaths as of May 10th

Ghana- 783

Namibia- 691

Ivory coast- 291

Burundi- 6

Western Sahara- 1

Mauritius - 17

8 ( +8 / -0 )

If you look at his twitter account, you'll see he has a lot of support. Now whether these are bots or not, I don't know. By the way, never heard of this university.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

A great deal of the commenters here also demonstrate the lower depths of human character and ill will, as I see it.

Surely this "professor" has several issues to deal with before he can be respected as a professor ever again.

However people comment pretending to be in higher moral grounds all the while recurring to name calling, quasi insults, and personal attacks, mocking, ridiculing, etc. Not exactly the characteristics of expressions of somebody wiser, and with higher morality or ethics, in my humble estimation.

On to the issue,

@thepersoniamnowToday  

This line is repeated every single day in every need outlet. This assertion based on fuzzy maths...is it suppossed to make me feel safer?

In Japan people on the 19~39 years of age (209,561 people) show a recovery rate from Covid is 99.9896% (the percentage decreases a little to 99.9664% if the 40 to 49 age percentile is included), and those that recover do so mostly without any additional care. The 0.0104% (22 people) deaths are all of people with other ailments or weaknesses that complicated the recovery and aggravated their condition.

So if you are in that age percentile, and you are overall healthy, congratulations most likely you WILL survive. Just probability wise speaking, your chances of dying in a car crash or from influenza are higher.

@KniknaknokkaerToday  10:41 am JST

What you mean this moronic government is advised by morons? Shocker!

Well, It happens everywhere, just look at Biden (maybe not so much regarding Covid, but look at that South border, what a mess....) and Fauci (how many times has he been congruent? or respected his own advise? or denounced governments or people not following them??), yikes!

-13 ( +2 / -15 )

What's new? Everyone knows this country is ruined by these jijis.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This pandemic is showing that Japan is a deeply divided class society with the Elite vested with privileges we don't have. In this case it is a matter of life or death. If you are rich an powerful you are okay. If you are not you are not.

Ten thousand deaths from COVID-19 is shocking beyond words.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Japan has 28 Nobel prizes. The UK, a small island nation with a population half of Japan, has 133. Oh, and the UK has the world's number one best university.

At least Japan has a world-class space program which sent a spacecraft millions of miles from Earth to bomb an asteroid. Where's Britain's space program?

-26 ( +0 / -26 )

Simple Google Search of a few selected Thirds world countries Corona Deaths as of May 10th

Ghana- 783

Namibia- 691

Ivory coast- 291

Burundi- 6

Western Sahara- 1

Mauritius - 17

The problem with your simple search is you don't take into account the population and other factors.

-18 ( +1 / -19 )

I never wish any wrong to anyone, but this guy deserves what's coming to him!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

We keep hearing the never ending only 10,000 deaths I find the "only" part quite disturbing)

But in reality Japan is in the same category as North Korea and many under developed countries.

It has a reporting system that relies on only those tested and we know full well very few are being tested.

The government does not require those over 65 that have died to have an autopsy so, again no one knows how many had covid.

All the above points have been pointed out by multiple doctor associations including Japan's, medical journals and experts worldwide.

Despite having one of the lowest testing of any developed country Japan has a high number of cases and an unbelievable positivity rate of nearly half those that are lucky enough to be tested.

Over half the testing in Japan is being done by private labs at the request of individuals that are paying out of pocket because they were rejected by the official government testing.

So anyone trusting the official numbers is living in the same fantasy as many government officials and the IOC.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

There is a spelling mistake in the headline...thank me later!!!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Time for numerous officials to resign. Private behavior, reveals the actual disdain those in power have for the general population. That behavior is not only insensitive, but betrays public trust and service to the common good. It is elitist and privileged. If there is to be any inkling of a democratic government, such individuals need to be removed from any official capacity.

Additionally, for the Prime Minister to simply dismiss the remarks as not relevant, further indicates he is not fit for office. Even the mere 'thought' that holding a large spectacle, such as The Olympics, during a global epidemic displays a divorce from reality and actual circumstance. It borders on psychotic.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This man obviously didn't learn any lessons from Trump's indiscretions on Twitter!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The problem with your simple search is you don't take into account the population and other factors.

Except Namibia, all the countries listed have fewer deaths per capita than Japan.

The point, however, shouldn't be a comparison who is "better", but the fact that people are dying and it's utterly cruel to laugh in the face of this tragedy while blatantly prioritizing the pockets of the wealthy.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The ripple part is not so false, but the rest surely is. Afterwards it seems now that they still could be held last summer, but it was better anyway that they weren’t.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I'll post this up again; not 10,000 deaths, 100,000

http://www.healthdata.org/news-release/covid-19-has-caused-69-million-deaths-globally-more-double-what-official-reports-show

With the rest of the pi**ing contest, who cares? I couldn't name more the 10 Nobel Laureates. 90 percent of them were individuals, nothing to do with their country's efforts. The nominees and nominators are kept secret for 50 years for a reason too.

Some Universities actively try to bump up their numbers and it's not really objective.

This is the whole world heritage site thing again.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This is a faultfinding article.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A bit off topic here but yesterday, some new polls results showed that roughly 60 percent of Japanese people were for the cancellation of the Games and 40 % for keeping them this year. Postponment was not a possible answer. All surveys are more or less biased but I'm curious to know more about this one if someone has information.

Today, an ongoing survey with 130,000 participants on Yahoo news Japan shows that 85 % think it should be cancelled, 7% postponed, 8% held with or without spectators. Probably a good image of the younger part of the population.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/polls/sports/42325/vote

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The comparison graph he used is not valid either. Japan severely represses testing and tests 1/0-1/100 the rate of other countries, so of course it would show less reported cases than other countries.

On the other hand, despite having less reported cases/million, Japan have higher death rate / million than even India, that shows you how much Japan is repressing testing and underreporting the numbers.

Even the 10,000 reported death now is a huge undercount, While in 2018-2019, there's less than 100,000 a year deaths due to pneumonia, it is 130,000 for 2020. I would bet that majority of covid deaths in Japan are never reported as covid as most people are unable to access testing and treatment, and autopsies are rarely performed.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Except Namibia, all the countries listed have fewer deaths per capita than Japan.

Yeah now tell us how advanced their reporting system is, how many are being tested.

Just to put it into context, Namibia has so little testing capabilities that in April 2021 USAID had to donate covid-19 laboratory testing equipment.

Again if the country is not testing because they can't or won't then the numbers are low, not because there isn't a lot of covid and death from covid but because no one is tested.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@Pim

Yesterday's 59% cancel 38% not cancel was by the LDP loving Yomiuri Shimbun, which decided not to offer "postpone" as an option.

Their 59% was the lowest percentage on months, every other survey was over 70%.

So we can easily ignore their results.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Yeah now tell us how advanced their reporting system is, how many are being tested.

Just to put it into context, Namibia has so little testing capabilities that in April 2021 USAID had to donate covid-19 laboratory testing equipment.

I am fairly confident that all the countries listed have higher testing / capita than Japan. Japan have the capabilities for testing, but do not test. Japan purposely repress testing and refuses treatment to its people.

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/full-list-cumulative-total-tests-per-thousand-map

Namibia tested 155/1000, while Japan tested ONLY 91/1000. Your case is null. In terms of data, Japan have the worst quality data of all listed countries, and the most understated data as well.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

As regards remarks about testing. Those with symptoms are tested alongside any members that may represent a cluster. The recourse to such is available and immediate. It has been enacted in several scenarios wedded to our workplace and was not problematic in any sense.

Testing. Wide-spread testing is not relevant at this juncture, as it would have to be routine and due to the large numbers is impossible and would not be effective by any means other than as a panacea for the uninformed. As a metric for providing data to understand the spread, such will be postmortem when the pandemic has grounded-out. At the moment it is non-functional worldwide, as there is no accurate data, anywhere.

Citing North Korea, as an example, is amusing as if anybody is fully aware of what is going on in that State or that it bears relevance in terms of geography and population. There are more people in Tokyo, than in the entirety of North Korea. Nor is Japan in the same category as 'underdeveloped' nations.

Conducting autopsies on those over 65, who have expired, in no way adds to preventing the spread of the virus. It may simply fulfill a morbid curiosity.

As for a high number of cases and positivity rates in Japan, with some unfathomable assertion in terms of rate of infection or total cases - that is absolutely a ridiculous assertion and absurd. It makes absolutely no sense.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

@therougou

This mantra shows how arrogant some people are, and makes me want to vomit each time I see it.

Btw: Some third World countries have even fewer deaths, and have done much better in responding to this pandemic than Japan, and we never see them uttering such like the above.

Simple Google Search of a few selected Thirds world countries Corona Deaths as of May 10th

Ghana- 783

Namibia- 691

Ivory coast- 291

Burundi- 6

Western Sahara- 1

Mauritius - 17

African countries have faired better than most other countries around the world because they already had protocols in place. They were already fighting Ebola when COVID came, so it was business as usual.

America should have faired better, too because Pres. Obama already had a professional team in place to deal with the next major pandemic coming from China.

However, everyone knows that Pres. trump fired the pandemic team out of immature spite and lied to the public about the severity of threat. Pres. trump personally had a hand in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in the US.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Nor is Japan in the same category as 'underdeveloped' nations.

Japan's data is definitely no better and generally even worse than "underdeveloped" nations. I doubt it is significantly better than North Korea's numbers in terms of reflection of true state of covid spread in Japan.

Conducting autopsies on those over 65, who have expired, in no way adds to preventing the spread of the virus. It may simply fulfill a morbid curiosity.

But it allows the government to lie about the true status of the epidemic and make decisions to further accelerate spread, not preparing medical facilities for case increases, etc. (see Osaka, which have a higher covid morbidity rate per capita than India) In a few weeks, everywhere in Japan will be in the same situation in Osaka, and Osaka of course will be 3x worse. Japan will certainly be world leading in morbidity per capita, and the government's only response will be to further reduce testing to reduce reported cases, based on your reasoning.

Japan can start by telling the population that covid is actually spreading in Japan, instead of lying about the numbers and telling the people that Japan have little to no covid spread.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Existence of insensitive "adviser" who disrespect Covid-19 damage symbolizes incompetence of present Suga government of Japan. 

Japanese totalitarians who prioritize holding Olympics than safe of citizen have instigated hostility against domestic communist party as same as prewar militarists.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Conducting autopsies on those over 65, who have expired, in no way adds to preventing the spread of the virus. It may simply fulfill a morbid curiosity.

No it will however increase the death toll from the false 10,000 which is why it is not being done.

Simple question.

Why in Ontario Canada where they are in the middle of a Covid surge are they testing over 50,000 a day while Japan is testing fewer than 8,000 and they are both coming back with around 3,500 a day positive for covid?

Non one finds it odd that Japan testing is coming back nearly 50% positive?

The numbers just don't add up.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

CORRECTIO

"70 thousand deaths" - "70 thousand accidents".

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

AntiquesavingToday  12:31 pm JST

We keep hearing the never ending only 10,000 deaths I find the "only" part quite disturbing)

'ONLY'. Since when is even ONE death acceptable. This is nothing to sneeze at. I don't give a damn that Tokyo is the world's largest city, pop. 35 million +. 10000 deaths is no 'only'. The Games would ONLY make it worse for everyone involved.

Put them off until next year. Things should be better then and the rewards will blossum bigtime like a garden of flowers, but first we need to use our noodles.

No Olympics 2021. Do it in 2022.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The good Japanese people have said NO for the Olympics.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@starpunk

I don't know if English is your native language but I think you miss understood my meaning/point!

I was basically saying as you are that people keep using "only" 10,000 as if 10,000 dead isn't important.

And like you I agree this is not the time or place to be having the Olympics this year.

Vaccines and testing before we can even begin to think about having Olympics

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Well, there you have it. This is how the Government really, thinks about it's local populace.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The comment only proofs that a high post in an organization is not automatically a sign of intelligence, the real scandal is that the guy is obviously still holding his position.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

People like him believe themselves to be smarter than anyone and think that the rest are stupid and have short memory and that in a few days, everything will be forgotten. These people always manage to wiggle out of every situation no matter how bad. As you can see Suga and the rest of them are NOW saying they NEVER put Olympics first!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hosting The Olympic games will not result in any more cases of Covid than would occur by canceling the games. All the athletes and their supporting crews will be vaccinated long before arriving in Japan, and even then subject to more testing.

Every possible protection protocol will be in place prior to arrival of the competitors.

The good people of Japan have nothing to fear, and once again the world will admire the Japanese ingenuity and innovation of hosting the games under difficult conditions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

AntiquesavingMay 11  11:27 pm JST

@starpunk

I don't know if English is your native language but I think you miss understood my meaning/point!

I was basically saying as you are that people keep using "only" 10,000 as if 10,000 dead isn't important.

And like you I agree this is not the time or place to be having the Olympics this year.

Vaccines and testing before we can even begin to think about having Olympics

That's exactly what I meant. Hosting the POlympics now would endanger a lot more people than 10000. The risk is too high. If the Games are delayed until next year the danger should be lessened and the benefits will blossom like a flower orchard. Guaranteed.

But first things first. CoVid-19 is everyone's cross to bear and that's more important than a series of sports games and all the business that goes with it. Another year delay will result in a bonanza next year.

TARA TAN KITAOKAMay 11  11:08 pm JST

The good Japanese people have said NO for the Olympics.

Yes. They are the host country. They don't want the risk and danger for themselves or for the foreign guests. We're all in this trial together. Listen to what the people of Japan are saying! Call off the Games until 2022.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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