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Suga says no link between Olympics and virus surge

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no link between Olympics and virus surge

So far there's no such thing as perfect bubble during Olympics, so current virus surge where it come from then? Just another coincidence?

 encouraged people to watch the games at home to avoid the greater risk of contracting the virus by gathering in groups to watch the games, including at locations such as sports bars.

Now the blame go to sports bars?

25 ( +28 / -3 )

From the New York Times:

But outside Shibuya Station, a tourism hot spot in one of Tokyo’s most crowded neighborhoods, Thay Camargo, 25 — who is representing a small Brazilian online broadcasting agency at the Games — said she was visiting shops and going out at night despite working in Olympic venues every day. 

“I was so excited to have this opportunity to come,” said Ms. Camargo, who said she had finished her 14-day quarantine. “I’ve always wanted to be in Japan and explore.”

Fumie Sakamoto, an infection control manager at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo, said she saw no concrete indication that the virus was “being transmitted by people coming from abroad to the general public in Tokyo.”

Mr. Suga asked the public to watch the Games in their homes and said the government was considering expanding and extending the state of emergency.

It is not clear that such measures have much effect anymore.

On Thursday night, Aika Suzuki, 22, said she was planning to meet a friend to go out to dinner.

“I think none of my friends care about the state of emergency anymore,” Ms. Suzuki said. “I have been going out as usual.”

She said she had opposed the Olympics at first, “but now that the events have started and I can watch them on TV with my family, it is exciting.”

“I think that many people feel this way,” Ms. Suzuki added.

— “As Covid Cases Hit Record High in Tokyo, Can the Olympic Bubble Hold?” New York Times, Motoko Rich and Hikari Hida, 29 July 2021

20 ( +25 / -5 )

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Thursday there is no link between the recent surge in the number of coronavirus infections in Japan and the holding of the Tokyo Olympics.

Well, how come I got a notice from the Health Squad that someone on my plane, on which 8 people were coming here for the Olympics, tested positive, and they want me to call a health center?

11 ( +22 / -11 )

For

" ..... to prevent the spread of the virus **by foreign visitors...."**

please read

" ..... to prevent the spread of the virus **to foreign visitors...."**

Unfortunately Suga has totally failed at this as the numbers clearly show the athletes are getting infected by the Japanese support staff.

26 ( +27 / -1 )

They are meeting Friday to discuss extending the borders of their effective measures?

Hip hip hooray! We are saved from the man made virus.

-11 ( +4 / -15 )

The link is the messaging.

Since (some) people can gather for the massive Olympic event as long as they wear a mask, people therefore feel the virus must not be that bad, as long as they wear a mask.

If the Olympics were cancelled, imagine that messaging. It would say that the virus is very serious, and that the government considers it a serious problem. Would people therefore take it more seriously? Well, its unlikely they would take the virus less seriously than now.

32 ( +34 / -2 )

If this was a TV show, would it be a comedy, or a tragedy? All Suga needs is a long curved blade on a big stick in his hand. He is lost.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

He's lying.

Each and every government action related to coronavirus over the last 18 months has been related to ensuring the Olympics proceed. The government has opted for the Olympics over the public health.

He's a liar.

48 ( +56 / -8 )

Commodore Perry

That would be some very good contact tracing actually.

Something that’s been ignored and abandoned.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

On Thursday night, Aika Suzuki, 22, said she was planning to meet a friend to go out to dinner.

“I think none of my friends care about the state of emergency anymore,” Ms. Suzuki said. “I have been going out as usual.”

She said she had opposed the Olympics at first, “but now that the events have started and I can watch them on TV with my family, it is exciting.”

The education system and propaganda machine doing their jobs effectively, I see.

29 ( +37 / -8 )

The issue is no one takes the government seriously anymore as they continue to send mixed messages with how we should deal with Covid.

If only they had started the vaccinations earlier a lot of lives would have been saved including a friends life who just died because of late vaccinations here.

Isn't it time for a new approach and leadership ?

24 ( +29 / -5 )

Hmmm, over the past week, I've been seeing non-Japanese people walking around like tourists wearing $300 Adidas shoes and other top of the range sportswear in central Tokyo where I work. Just a tad suspicious. Usually Europeans and South Americans.

The 4-day weekend is blamed for fanning the flames. Wasnt that for the Olympics?

26 ( +30 / -4 )

We have gone way past the point where anything said by Suga should be quickly and completely ignored

22 ( +24 / -2 )

If he had thought before speaking, he would have realised that he's doomed either way.

If he blames the spike in infections on the Olympics: "then why did you bend the knee to the IOC and not make at least a token gesture of resistance?"

If he states that the spike in infections is not related to the Olympics, he's admitting that it's related to his own incompetent leadership.

Luckily he leads a country where people can't be bothered with outrage because it's mendokusai.

29 ( +32 / -3 )

Well he would say that, wouldn’t he.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

More corona nonsense. Why the authorities around the world think that lying to the public is the way to deal with it is a scandal.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Of course he would say that.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Not yet. - But it’s coming!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Suga will defend Tokyo’s Games “At Any Cost.” -

His presumed ‘Golden Parachute’ for being the LDP fall-guy must be HUGE!

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Why the authorities around the world think that lying to the public is the way to deal with it is a scandal.

You know the story of the frog and the scorpion, right?

Authorities - i.e. governments - lie. It's what they do. It's what they exist for.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Here's the deal:

Covid-19 will NEVER become a major crisis in Japan.

Why? Because there aren't a bunch of fat people waddling all over Japan.

Covid-19 coincided with the recent phenomenon of calling morbidly obese people "brave", fully embraced by the 'woke' journalism community.

Everyone I know who has any connection to the front lines in the major hospitals all said the same thing: The Covid ward was basically a bunch of huge fat people. Not just a bit overweight, but really fat.

But were we able to acknowledge that? Oh, no, that would be "fat shaming".

Of all the stuff we heard over the past year about masks and hand washing and the rest of it, how much did we hear about losing weight and getting healthy as a defense mechanism? Zilch. Off limits.

Japan never got the menu about 'fat shaming'. When someone is a big fat slob in Japan, Japanese people point it right out to them regularly. Not many people let it get to that, and for that reason, Covid won't make much of a dent.

-9 ( +19 / -28 )

This is very informative. Note the bit about testing numbers dropping in the past couple of months. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/57556978

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Suga is an incapable PM. But in this instance I tend to think he is right. While there are a few Covid cases in connection with the Olympics, the huge current increase in cases is the result of more people running about as if there is no pandemic, and the ever increasing instances of the Delta variant. Both of these reasons are applicable to every other country that is seeing inceasing numbers.

3 ( +14 / -11 )

thepersoniamnowToday  07:15 am JST

Commodore Perry

That would be some very good contact tracing actually.

Something that’s been ignored and abandoned.

I kept asking one of the quarantine people who called me, Where was the person sitting?

And she said she didn't know. I told her I was asked to show my ticket at quarantine so they could write down my seat number, so of course they know.

Was she lying? At the least, couldn't she have looked up where that person was sitting?

If I'm in seat 3A, and the other person is 45C, then I wouldn't worry at all.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Had nothing to do with changing a three day weekend (17, 18, 19/July) to a 4 day weekend a Thursday to Sunday because of the Olympics? I was planning camping. Couldn't make reservations as every campground in the Kanto area was fully booked. Bike ride in the mountains on 22nd and riversides looked like Tokyo Station at 7:30am. And streets were congested. Yes, there are connections both direct and indirect.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Pants on fire, of course there is a link, people see a massive global event happening and think everything is okay and go about like there is no deadly virus.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

Whatever he says, he comes across as a bored, disinterested grandpa who couldn't care whether there are ten cases a day or ten thousand.

20 ( +22 / -2 )

There is at least this link between the Olympics and the pandemic: the Olympics are a distracter from the pandemic, which should be our first priority.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

@divinda I fully agree. Thus far, there may not be any actual evidence of the virus spreading from the "Olympic bubble" to the general public or vice versa (although that doesn't necessarily mean it's not happening), but the Games themselves, and the euphoria they create, send the message that "it's OK to let our guard down while we celebrate the sporting achievements".

The Asahi Shimbun yesterday wrote *"Tokyo’s state of emergency becoming a state of complacency"**.* The result of that is what we are now seeing in the skyrocketing numbers. Evidence that staging such a mega-event during a pandemic was a bad idea from the very beginning.

But for the Government to deny any link between the Olympics and the record number of Covid cases is self-evident. They (and the IOC) will never admit to that, but spin it anyway they can to justify the decision to go ahead.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I think most of us are aware of the lack of testing and contact tracing in Japan, deliberately designed so as to make the infection numbers appear lower in order to facilitate the holding of these Olympics. That is the main link I can see.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Suga must be secretly snickering to himself.

"I can blame the virus on whoever I want, impose another SOE covering half the Kanto region while Olympians and their entourages can go clubbing in Harajuku all night, my approval rating could hit single figures, and the people are so stupid that even if I have to resign as a matter of saving face, the LDP will be reelected. God, I love this job".

16 ( +18 / -2 )

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Thursday there is no link between the recent surge in the number of coronavirus infections in Japan and the holding of the Tokyo Olympics.

Its pretty cleat that the Olympics are a major contributing factor, the government itself is saying the virus is spreading because people aren’t taking what it tells them seriously. The reason they aren’t is because the government has spent the entire year and a half of this pandemic encouraging the Olympics, sending the message that there is nothing to worry about.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

Is he blaming the people for his pathetic leadership?

13 ( +16 / -3 )

Why? Because there aren't a bunch of fat people waddling all over Japan.

Covid-19 coincided with the recent phenomenon of calling morbidly obese people "brave", fully embraced by the 'woke' journalism community.

I have to admit, this is a new one.

So now Covid is the result of woke media not fat shaming people anymore?

8 ( +15 / -7 )

I wish I had an opinion about Covid that I was confident about. I do not. However, I am absolutely confident that I do not have confidence in the government's publicly expressed opinions.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Thank you doctor Suga, MD, Ph.D

I feel relieved now.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

There needs to be more public outreach and education, especially to the affected age groups, regarding the importance of receiving vaccination against the Covid-19 . . . .

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It just keeps getting more and more stupid, fire this kook

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Commodore Perry

Apparently in planes the air circulates around and is poor quality sometimes.

Like on ships indoor quarters top. Now they say the filtration systems clean it out….

2 ( +6 / -4 )

"Since we have imposed virus-curbing measures, such as cutting the flow of people (in public) 

I'm assuming Dear Leader hasn't used Shinjuku station, the Ginza Line, or any commuter train rammed to 240% capacity during the current SoE?

The flow of people is like herded sheep. If 20 million sheep could be herded at the same time.

If you are going to tell me a lie, you charisma vacuum, tell me a good lie. Don't micturate on my face and tell me it's raining.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Is he blaming the people for his pathetic leadership?

Looks like it. And he knows he'll get away with it. He might have to take the fall, but we all know what's going to happen at the next general election.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I'm assuming Dear Leader hasn't used Shinjuku station, the Ginza Line, or any commuter train rammed to 240% capacity during the current SoE?

Before teleworking kicked in I used Shinjuku station more or less daily, and I still pass through it now and then.

While there are certainly a lot of people there at any given time (which shows what they think of Suga's leadership and bleats about states of emergency; the station was empty during the original SOE), they're always on the move, i.e. they're not "congregating" in any real sense, they're not stopping to talk, and pretty much everyone's masked up.

I would feel far less comfortable in a narrow bar with ten people, all drinking and socialising, than in Shinjuku station.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Of course it's the foreigners fault... can't be that there was already an out of control spread of the virus in Tokyo anyway???!!!

Wonder if they are testing more now so they can blame the foreigners with the increase and not their own ineptitude....

4 ( +6 / -2 )

We have gone way past the point where anything said by Suga should be quickly and completely ignored

For that matter, anything by japanese government can and should be ignored. I'll give them credit for the company-wide vaccines while they lasted, but everything else by them is an,utter farce.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Considering there are no spectators and all the athletes and staff are kept isolated it’s a pretty easy conclusion. However, as predicted, the athletes and staff are contracting the virus from the Japanese.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Oh, well, if Suga says it, it must be so. After all, his reputation isn’t on the line at all. They’ve only reported… what… 200 Games-related infections so far? They also have nothing to do with the Games I suppose… despite being related… to the Games being held… hmmm. Can’t possibly be the people gathering at venues and ignoring all protocols, where they would not have gathered if the Games weren’t held. Nope — no connection.

Reminds me of how kids in Fukumshima who live in areas just outside the plant that melted down are seeing increased thyroid cancer rates and the government said there’s no relation. We’re back to the Diamond Princess, people.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

I beg to differ. They are linked in that Japan should be focusing on containing the viral surge rather than hosting Olympic games during this time.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Stop blaming the Olympics! Even if there are no games, Japan would still have the same infection rates because there is no hard lock-down.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

If I were in charge, I would have made an amendment to the constitution and allowed for a hard lock-down of the unvaccinated and allowed vaccinated people to go to the games.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Stop blaming the Olympics! Even if there are no games, Japan would still have the same infection rates because there is no hard lock-down.

How do you know this? this conclusion requires evidence, there are many variables that the games are tilting towards increased transmission, so it is perfectly possible that control could be more effective without them, even if hard lockdowns are not being imposed, from using the huge amount of resources being consumed by the games to test and trace infected people to the effect the games have on the attitude of the people towards the necessary measures.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Seriously.

On exactly the same day that Suga says

Suga says no link between Olympics and virus surge

JT, and I would imagine other outlets are reporting fans are still managing to assemble and sneak a peak at the Olympics.

https://japantoday.com/category/tokyo-2020-olympics/sneaking-a-peek-fans-find-creative-ways-to-glimpse-olympics

The surge is directly linked.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Suga says no link between Olympics and virus surge

He’s right.

It’s the idiotic lack of distributing vaccines that he is leading, is one of the links for the virus surge.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This guy's a muppet.

The correlation between the Olympics and infected surge is directly related. By holding the Games you've essentially taken any and all urgency and threat out of the pandemic making everyone shirk your "state of emergency" and do what they please.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Suga's gaslit Games.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Well it seems like denying the surge is being caused by the games and foreigners only goes to convince local people that it's the opposite, so guess the people who are already scared to death of me will become double deathly scared :)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I agree the new cases likely did not come from people related to the Olympics, as the virus has been going around Japan largely unchecked for the past year, and the usual stupid measures they take are even less effective for the Delta variant.

However, as others have said, the focus on promoting Tokyo as “safe” and suppressed testing led to really mixed messaging, and I can’t blame people for being angry at being asked to stay home when tens of thousands of people were invited into the country for the Olympics.

On a related note, the Olympic bubble is absolute bullsh*t. One NBC reporter flew to Tokyo this past Friday and showed footage of herself and other NBC staff touring Sky Tree Tower and Tokyo Tower this past weekend. This morning, they showed footage of them eating at a restaurant (albeit with no other customers). I don’t know when the other three staff arrived in Japan, but clearly she didn’t even follow the 3-day quarantine that some Olympic officials were supposed to do.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

There may not be a direct link, but all the attention and energy spent on getting the Olympics going could have been directed to getting your citizens vaccinated. Here we are in late July, a year and a half since the pandemic began, and only 28% of your population is fully vaccinated.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japanese should of been allowed to attend events,since they are more responsible,than ignorant American,since Japanese already wear mask,before Covid Google Lalapozza Chicago

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

For the second time I will AGREE with Mr. Suga, the first was when he went after the 3 thieves NTT, Soft B. And AU and put and end to their Rip Offs.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Well it depends on his definition of "link".

If "link" means that the virus is spreading from the people at the Olympics, then he is probably correct.

But it "link" means that the government's response for the past year in avoiding testing, low testing, delays after delays in responding to covid in order to give the false impression everything is just fine so the Olympics could be held, then yes the surge is "linked" to the Olympics.

If "link" means that the people of Japan see nearly 100,000 people being let into the country and another 40 to 80 thousand volunteers and workers massed together in locations holding a major event while they ( the local population) is told to stay home and follow the SOE but don't listen due to these two contradictions, then yes there is a "link".

Any parent knows that the "Do as I say, not as I do" rarely works out well and that is the exact message the government has given.

So yes the two things are linked.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Interesting to note, that TV news in Canada was reporting on people in Tokyo and Japan complaining that the government has been doing more covid testing related to the Olympics than actually testing bthe Japanese public.

And people and the news went into great detail on how difficult it is to get tested in Japan especially Tokyo.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Interesting to note, that TV news in Canada was reporting on people in Tokyo and Japan complaining that the government has been doing more covid testing related to the Olympics than actually testing bthe Japanese public.

And people and the news went into great detail on how difficult it is to get tested in Japan especially Tokyo.

That'll put Canada in Japan's bad books for a bit.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Impossible to prove. Same goes for the contrary. So he's lying.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Well if the government had spent more time on getting the Vaccine rollout going faster, more time securing enough vaccine deliveries and done more testing instead of being 80% focused on the Olympics we wouldn't be in this situation.

My ward was closed for new Vaccination due to no supply on Monday it started up again taking appointments, but only over 30s.

Today it was supposed to open appointments to under 30s but I just checked to get an appointment for my Son ( he has a chronic illness) and the ward is now out of vaccine again so no more first dose appointments and no under 30s.

The website say they hope to reopen after August 15th if they get more vaccine.

So now our only hope is my ex-wife's ( his mother) company, they finished vaccinating all their employees and have extra vaccine left so they will hold a LOTERY for family members to receive the remaining vaccine but as it stands now there are 8 times the number of people than vaccine available.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

That'll put Canada in Japan's bad books for a bit.

Don't think Canada is really that worried. Japan needs Canada's resource ( gas, oil, rare earth, pork, soy, etc.. ) far more than Canada needs the Japanese as any Canadian will tell you, anything Japan does take China and the rest of Asia will grab as fast as they can.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I am sure this statement was prompted by nudge from King Bach to distance IOC/Olympics from rising numbers in Tokyo & Japan - IOC cannot have their reputation tainted right?

And the lame leader that we have here he has to come out and make this statement - as he knows he has nothing to lose - come election time LDP will win again.

As others pointed out earlier posts - worst case scenario he will become the fall guy & take the blame in the end but still will end up with a HUGE payout which he and seven generations behind him will be able to enjoy!!!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

@CaptDingleheimer,

You are in fact correct, once again from woke to broke. The media needs to be more transparent on what it means to be and stay healthy. All the masks and sanitizers in the world will not work if your bodies immune system is broken.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Could not the preoccupation with hosting a postponed event and the pressure to save face by not canceling the event have detracted from the effort to vaccinated the public?

Sounds like a link to me!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Here is an example of the "Do as I say, not as I do"

As I mentioned yesterday on my way to buy groceries.

The local Temple is having a Matsuri, clearly our Tokyo city/ward is aware of this because the streets are closed off the police are present even providing help for security.

The Matsuri starts at 14:00 and goes to 22:00 yesterday and today tomorrow it starts earlier finished again at 22:00 and Sunday it will finish at 17:00.

So "Stay home" the government says then give permission to close streets to have a Matsuri.

Same for the Olympics "stay home" but we will hold a massive international event complete with social gatherings of "special guests", travel to Hiroshima, etc...

Then the government wonders why the people aren't listening.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Sometimes I like to make up conspiracy theory's, not that I believe them...

For today's conspiracy theory I am considering that COVID numbers were underreported leading up to the Olympics so that the Olympics would not be cancelled.

Now that it's the middle of the Olympics the numbers are being overreported to "catch-up" the data.

Then as we reach the end of the Olympics the numbers will decrease again to levels that help ease the SOE, but keep strict boarder controls.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

For the past several months every time I said the olympics was partially to blame for rises in covid & some of the deaths I was either moded or downvoted mostly.

The olympics are absolutely a HUGE part of ALL the spikes over the last year+ because EVERYTHING the govt did was to ""show"" they could hold the games safely, and what a sick sick joke this has become!

And with athletes & staff starting to return home this is going to go worldwide, its beyond criminal what the ioc have done!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Well, I hate to admit it but he's right. The 4 thousand something infections are local not connected to the games.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Suga is a liar, sad and pathetic

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Of course there is a link, the link is this government not listening to its people who were against having this Olympics in a global pandemic.

Let the people of Japan close their ears to the new state of emergency and a deaf the government that would care less about its peoples conerns and more about their ecomomics and their pride.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

And we have the new record here - today report of new 27 positive cases at Olympics - this is more than 24 reported yesterday which was also highest...

Link below -

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210730/p2g/00m/0sp/036000c

But of course our deal leader Suga and Koike have already proclaimed that Olympics is going "VERY SMOOTHLY"...

Note that today is exactly one week from start of games

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Of course dear leader!! It's the alcohol that's to blame!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The link is that people think, hell if one group can go do all these things why can't my group.

In my 25 years in Japan I've seen some shocking, uninspiring leaders but Suga is the gold medal winner .

He just doesn't look like he cares in the slightest.

Has he any emotions.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Countries all over the world are having surges. The numbers we increasing in Japan before the start of the Olympics.

After completely shutting down all borders and reopening them, then maybe you could have some factual data to back up claims that the olympics are to blame.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

typo were increasing

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@eric_japan

So you don't think that had the government spent more time testing locals instead of working on the Olympic testing, more time working on getting vaccine supply and more efficient vaccine rollout instead of jumping through hoops preparing for the Olympics and trying to "secure it's safety" the situation would still be the same?

Let me point out one thing countries like Canada are seeing increases over 90% are unvaccinated nearly 70% in Canada are vaccinated so the situation is fairly limited as to how far it will go.

Japan has at best 35% vaccinated with at least one dose, so the potential for things to get far worse is far greater.

You don't think telling people to stay home while the government holds a mass event of mostly non Japanese doesn't send a mixed message?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Oh! What a coincidence!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

We live in an era where world leaders say the most idiotic things as well as lie their asses off and get away with it!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I think Suga is correct. It’s actually incredibly racist for people to keep blaming foreigners traveling here for the Olympics for the cause of the increase. Those people went through rigorous testing before and after arriving in Japan, and there is no wide spread outbreak of cases among people connected to the Olympics.

If Japan had allowed spectators and there were surges among those people that attended, totally can hold the Olympics accountable. However, Japan did not allow spectators, and mostly all people connected to the Olympics are vaccinated, masked and separated from the public.

This is a homegrown Japanese problem. People are tired of caring and a lot of 20-30 have gone full on back to social gatherings and not being careful. I see it around me everyday.

Its easy to point fingers at the government and foreigners, but at some point people need to take responsibility for themselves.

Vaccines on the other, that is a failure on the government and the large population of anti-vaxxers in Japan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Foreigners (including athletes) are a minority in Japan. Most infected by COVID are Japanese and still they are pointing the fingers to foreigners as one of the reasons. Meanwhile most Japanese want to go out and drink alcohol because they are stressed from this situation or family or from work. I don't care what Japanese do but stop pointing fingers. Japan is not more special than other countries.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Take it from the expert mina san.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yes, it's just a coincidence and nothing has to do with anything. Or just random magic. Thanks to the Olympics, people are gathering even more. Just look at the various bars, outdoor places, etc. You can see the difference from before the Olympics. And even if it's only due to the warm weather, it doesn't change the situation.

The LDP simply continues to refuse to acknowledge the status quo and continues to peddle the pretense. That nothing is happening, that this is normal. Maybe they could just change their minds and agree on what it is. Earlier this year, the LDP told us that we had beaten the virus. Then that we were vaccinating so fast we didn't have the vaccines. Then we didn't have the vaccines, so we didn't vaccinate. And now this.

So if the LDP wants to continue to claim that the numbers/numbers of infected are not increasing, then something needs to be done about the official statistics. After all, one person cannot say this and the other person the complete opposite.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Suga says no link between Olympics and virus surge

Wow. One of the few times I have agreed with Suga regarding either the Olympics or the virus.

A Modest Proposal .... (apologies to Jonathan Swift)

Social Distancing

1 — Between all of their dashing back and forth between daily meetings all over the country, even to the point of the mayor of Tokyo being hospitalized for exhaustion, how many of our brave, front-line Olympic organizers and VIPs been hospitalized for the virus? They should be applauded for their bravery and awarded ribbons of cultural merit by the Emperor.

2 — Those brave jukoka were symbolic of other participants breeching those dangerous lines of social distancing. I am guessing their gi and the mats were U.V. light-sanitized before and after each match to protect them from microbes in the sweat of all that hug-and-tumble love ... until they cooled down and stepped on the podium to receive their prizes. Then it was 'following the science' with social distance (sometimes) and masks on (sometimes). Appropriately discrete and humble, with no sign of virtue signaling.

3 — I began to wonder if there is an inverse correlations between being tested positive for viral RNA fragments and formal attire, but point 2 above appears to negate that. Perhaps replacing 'formal attire' with 'social currency' would show a higher inverse correlation? I propose the national government use our taxes to convene a committee of experts to propose a study to tease out some of the variables mentioned above. Maybe call it the 'Oyama no Taisho' variable?

4 — Not only socially distanced, but temporally distanced, the Paralympics has been following the science since long before the emergence of a virus. Like the recent new regarding the Japanese hotel requiring a separate elevator for foreigners, the U.S. has a long tradition of scientifically proven 'separate but equal' enforced through laws regulating voting, schooling, bussing, hotels, swimming pools, and even water fountains. How much more so now that we are in a rapidly deteriorating public health crisis? Depending on how the mostly-healthy 'real' Olympics go, those post-real-Olympic events could be canceled ... of course for reasons of public health. Of course such a decision would be scientifically objective ... with no financial incentives involved.

Masks

1 — Yes, those masks. Wear them because they work. Though the CDC has warned the public that even N-95 masks can not protect the wearer from the particles in wildfire smoke, masks of cloth, polyurethane, paper, and plastic shields prevent the spread of the much smaller virus. Why? Because the official science regarding the transmission of viruses has now mutated.

The viruses were long thought to be transmitted in aerosolized form, and therefore various governments and institutions recommended, sometimes required and physically enforced by law, the use of masks — outdoors and even when walking alone. Remember that video of that Aussie-Sheila being arrested for not wearing a mask while walking on the sidewalk?

But the science has evolved ... particularly since the wildfire season has begun. The CDC has announced the previous route of transmission is no longer in aerosolized form. Transmission of the virus requires droplets, much in line with the reason why Japanese used to wear masks on the trains — only during the winter in flu season. As usual, the public is catching up to the evolving science, and has yet to understand that there are few, if any, droplets to worry about outdoors or in sparsely populated areas.

2 — Though no institutionally funded studies have been proposed to test the following, it appears this virus and these masks are unique in several ways:

Even though the viruses are now thought to be transmitted by droplets, those droplets are lighter than air.

When seated in a restaurant, it is now tradition ... uh ... I mean 'scientifically approved' ... to remove your mask, at least to eat. But no matter how sparsely socially distanced the patrons are, once you stand, it is now tradition, ('scientifically safe'), to put on your mask. As restaurants are private businesses, the patron is legally obliged to follow the establishment rules. Whether walking to the drink bar or to the toilet, once you stand, the mask is a requirement. Once you are seated, the mask is not required ... unless you are seated outside the dining area and waiting to get in. It appears that the immediate presence of food is inversely correlated with the chance of catching the virus, but because I have no awareness or access to institutionally funded studies, this is only a guess.

Based on masking requirements and the distance between the seating height and the standing height in Western Japanese seating arrangements, it appears the droplet-transmitted virus is most highly contagious at somewhere between 120 and 160 centimeters. The government should convene another panel of experts to determine whether further studies will have to be commissioned to determine the droplet danger zone when sitting on tatamis in public eating places.

But the above proposed studies present a greater risk of transmission. If the virus is no longer being transmitted in aerosolized form, but through fomites in the form of droplets, the extremely populated microbal biome on the surface of the skin, particularly around the face, presents various vectors of transmission, particularly in the preparation and serving of food.

For example, the delivery of food appears to be in the danger zone of lighter than air droplets between 120 and 160 cm, and yet the food is not protected by plastic shields. Even more worrying, the preparation of food, as far as I know, still involves the variables of heat and cooks.

Our skin is the largest human 'organ' and is a particularly fertile microbal biome of potential pathogens. The viral and bacterial biome of the belly button alone has been compared to a miniature Amazon rain forest. Yet despite government regulated ventilation in all cooking areas, droplets in the form of sweat are unavoidable. To be safe, both cooks, and busy waiters and waitresses, should be required to wear full Hazmat suits at all times.

I also propose full Hazmat suits for those walking outdoors in the summer. My reasoning is this — if the strongest route for viral transmission is in the form of droplets, and human skin is a microbe-magnet, the accumulation of sweat on the inside of masks is a particularly dangerous source of pathogens.

I now work in the public school system, and realize that even though all student are required to wear masks, not all students and parents can afford to either wear a fresh disposable mask every day, or even regularly wash their polyurethane masks. Although hand soap is available at the large common sinks lining the hallways, I have not seen any students or teachers regularly remove their masks long enough to wash their faces of the build-up of microbe infested sweat and grime from wearing a mask all day — particularly problematic during the hot and humid summer of Japan.

Management of Misinformation

1 — Regarding masks:

Do not present the Chinese study showing that even N-95 masks worn by surgeons quickly begin to lose efficacy and should be changed every 2 hours. This study is contrary to government policies and is therefore clearly flawed.

Do not prevent the parent funded study of students' masks in Florida. The university lab that detected a large amount of even more dangerous microbal pathogens (viruses, bacteria, and fungi) and proposed that masks provide a surface for a rich breeding ground of such pathogens. But the study is clearly flawed, for the above same reason — the results are contrary to government policies.

For similar reasons, do not show studies from other countries that indicate masks trap both pathogens and increase a build up of CO2 in the blood to multiple levels of danger beyond federal standards. If masks are effective in filtering droplets from outside, they are similarly effective in filtering exhalation from inside. The gap in the seal between the mask and skin is both the greatest protection and greatest threat to droplets bearing the virus.

By simply suppressing such studies of the efficacy of masks, the government will prevent unnecessary worry and panic among the public.

2 — Regarding the Delta variant

Both the CDC and John Hopkins medical center, as well as official government statistics from Ireland, England, and other countries including Japan, have published data showing the Delta variant, though more transmissible than the original Alpha strain, results in much less severe symptoms.

Official data from other countries has also shown that vaccinations do not prevent the transmission or infection of either the original strains or the Delta variant.

A Harvard study some years ago, reported that the U.S. VAERS self reporting system of side effects from vaccinations may be indicating as few as 10% of actual side effects ... and is even more problematic when the mechanisms of mRNA vaccinations may be producing the same symptoms as the original virus.

This information must be tightly controlled by the government and its media outlets. The public is not educated enough, nor do they have the critical thinking skills to take the proper health precautions as suggest by Capt.Dingleheimer.

My modest suggestion is to follow America's lead for direct government collaboration with big tech and social media to nudge the population in a proper direction. This has been historically and scientifically been documented to be an effective way of nudging large populations who are not scientifically literate, for example Edward Bernay's 'Torches of Freedom' campaign to promote the priorities of Big Tobacco by conflating profits with women's rights.

Conclusions

Although my academic background in the natural sciences, I am aware of some of the practical, economic limitations of carrying out the proposed studies and safety precautions, and as NHK has been telling us for a year now, the public health care system is again (still?) at the brink of collapse.

So as to address the funding of further studies and safety precautions, I propose a raise in taxes on basic consumer goods. Preserve the economy and stock market by not taxing luxury items such as Japan's current boom for high end sports cars, boats, rural land close to Tokyo, and vacation homes. If the working class can not be sustained at minimum wage, further incentivize short term minimal-skilled migrant labor from developing countries, similar to the current 5 year maximum visa plan. Of course other programs can fill minimum wage jobs for shorter or longer stays.

Another solution is to have the central BOJ print more fiat currency, similar to the emergency funds printed at the beginning of the crisis, and similar to how the U.S. FED provided emergency funds. A token amount, perhaps a one-month funding to all houselholds, can be given to the public to appease short term self-interests, while the bulk of the money can be funneled into studies and corporate-state institutions for producing the technical equipment necessary for our safety ... such as the Abe-no Mask.

It will be years before the public realizes that putting more money into circulation, and into the 'right' hands, will devalue the purchasing power of the working class's current income and savings, but coupled with the national savings from a population deficit due to the pandemic and the postponing of critical health care to other health problems such as cancer, heart disease, etc. — will more than make up for the overall economy.

Again, I laud Suga on the wisdom and foresight to determine and calculate all of the variables linking his superb management of both the pandemic and the Olympics. My only question is whether he should be nominated for a Nobel Prize in one of the natural sciences, or the Peace Prize.

I could go on ... and will do elsewhere, but don't want to take up valuable space in these comments. But no worries. In addition to previous strategies for controlling the narrative, now comments can simply 'be closed'.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Japan's Suga government depends main coronavirus measures on general public's individual effort or patience.

But government preferentially treated only Olympics while they are demanding many restriction or patience to people.

Such unfair was enough to loosen caution of many people who had been patient for one and half year.

Besides, Suga's tweets that repeat only Olympics' topics show that his interest prioritizes Japanese gold medalists than defending the lives of people.

At least, Olympics is indirect cause of this virus surge.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

A German journalist told the German media a few days ago how she has interviewed local people in Tokyo, openly admitting that she was actually supposed not to do so and that most people here haven't been vaccinated, yet. Great!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

the surge came from the governments incompetence.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

their entourages can go clubbing in Harajuku all night, 

obviously Suga would not say this, as there is a lack of clubs in Harajuku.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Of course, it is linked, that’s common logic. If there are for example 9 cases in Tokyo city outside the Olympic bubble and 1 inside and then the infection cases become hundred times fold over a time span, then you have in the future 900 cases not linked to Olympic but 100 will be. That specific part of exponential growth is caused by and linked to the games.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Suga will say anything to defend his poor leadership. The Olympics are certainly to blame for upsetting the generally low levels of transmission in Tokyo, and also for making a public that had been self-restraining really upset that a massive party is happening on their backs.

Both the Olympics and Suga are tarnished brands that have been destroyed by the pandemic.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Prove it!!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Prove it!!!

A member of the Ugandan Olympic team who tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival in Japan had the Delta variant

More than 30 percent of the coronavirus infections in Tokyo and its surrounding areas are caused by the highly contagious Delta variant

Not actually proof.... but Damning nonetheless.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

He's probably right wrt the general Public who've had no contact with those involved with the Olympics - however.... there a lots of locals involved in the Olympics and I've seen some - around the Tsukiji area wandering around without facemasks. So they could be super spreaders - even if "vaccinated" ... which we're beginning to see doesn't stop you getting the virus, and given the hospitalization statistics doesn't mean you wont die from the virus should you get it.

People who've been vaccinated are being unwittingly dumb in their behavior - they believe that they are immune, and/or can't carry spread the virus... this attitude needs to change.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If you've had a vaccination, then good on you, and good luck, but... don't be selfish, mask up, and observe Social distancing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

For me, I would prefer to be the last person on this planet to have the vaccination especially whilst there are many more, under privileged people, in poorer Countries, who are the sole bread-winners for their Families, whom I consider may be more worthy than me, and therefore would benefit more than me to receive any vaccination that may have been reserved for me - so please donate to them first.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

happyhereToday  07:07 am JST

For

" ..... to prevent the spread of the virus ***by* foreign visitors...."**

please read

" ..... to prevent the spread of the virus ***to* foreign visitors...."**

Unfortunately Suga has totally failed at this as the numbers clearly show the athletes are getting infected by the Japanese support staff.

'by', 'to' - what difference does it make at this point? Does it matter? The doctors in Japan and the Japanese public have spoken themselves, NO! Don't do it. Call them off! but did PM suga listen? Did he stand up to the IOC? All this time they've been 'building the perfect beast' as the saying goes and now it's unleashed. And the citizens of Tokyo and beyond are suffering because of it. I don't care if the numbers are 'small' compared to Tokyo's population, 3865 new cases today is 300000 too many. There's an emergency there now and this shouldn't be happening. It's pure neglect and irresponsibilty.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Self Righteous are inconsiderate of those poorer than themselves, and ignore their plight to this day, clearly those "me first" attitudes are akin to those trying to escape the sinking of the Titanic of past days and such attitudes will continue forever as is, our human Nature, regardless the efforts of such valiant few.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Having the Olympics during the pandemic is like having a party as your house burns down. Were the Olympics cancelled the national government would have likely put all of its efforts into fighting Cover-19.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

P.S. Nice photo of mountain bike enthusiasts jammed to together and watching the Olympians roll by. Please, at least admit that there is dangerous intercourse between the athletes and the public.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

klausdorthJuly 30  06:59 am JST

Yeah, at least this time the man got it right!

Olympics and the virus are two different topics, since the increase is home-grown!

Got to shake your head when reading his comment:

" ..... to prevent the spread of the virus by foreign visitors...."

The man definitely doesn't know what he is talking about.

PM Suga, I have the deed to some beachfront property on Ganymede moon of Jupiter to sell you. Wanna buy it? Elvis is living in retirement nearby.

You ain't fooling anybody, not even yourself.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

sakurasuki

So far there's no such thing as perfect bubble during Olympics, so current virus surge where it come from then? Just another coincidence?

There are virus surges in many places where there is no Olympics. Correlation does not mean causation. Btw, the majority of cases in the most vaccinated locations such as Israel are now the so-called "breakthrough" infections, i.e. cases among the vaccinated.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think he is the fall guy for this, only he doesnt know it... Excuse me while I have some ulcerative colitis pills....

And the leaders from the ROW ...please take notes !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Since we have imposed virus-curbing measures, such as cutting the flow of people (in public) and stricter border controls to prevent the spread of the virus by foreign visitors, I think there is none," Suga told reporters when asked if there are any indications that the holding of the Games a factor behind the spike in new daily infection cases.

Suga *"thinks"*** **with no evidence to sustain it. (scoffing...)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Speaking with many of my Japanese co-workers I can (anecdotally) confirm that for most people holding the Summer games was never about infection spikes but was more about the "value-added" for the average person. If no one can enjoy the full spectacle of the Olympics, (because of the multi layers of restrictions) why hold them at all?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Suga says no link between Olympics and virus surge LOL his brain is twisted and he said there is no link between the virus surge and the Olympics

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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