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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.Tokyo 2020 chief asks Abe to consider daylight saving time
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MIZUNO EMIKO
In Japan,almost people think daylight saving time is useless.That's only waste huge tax & make us confuse about automation system & lifestyle.
JonathanJo
Any computer system that handles time-stamped data will need modification to cope with gaps and overlaps when clocks go forward and back. Cost to banks, utilities etc would be significant, especially if they need to implement the necessary software by next June.
ClippetyClop
Not true I'm afraid. Even with daylight savings, much of the northern hemisphere sees the sun way before 5am. Japan doesn't exist in some kind of separate cosmological zone you know?
This view, however mistaken, needs to be encouraged as it is the path most likely to be accepted in Japanese minds
This is a fair point. Do it properly, or don't do it at all.
MiceVice
In the press and on TV this week, some Japanese doctors expressed their concerns about this. It looks like health can be negatively affected:
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/11/health/daylight-saving-time-health-effects/index.html
If this is done only for the two weeks when the Olympics takes place, not sure how reasonable it is to switch during two years and affect the whole country.
MarkX
Maybe because Darknuts, Westerners are the only ones who have experienced it and know how beneficial it is! What I miss most was coming home from work or school and being able to play 9 or even 18 holes of golf if you used a cart!
darknuts
A permanent solution to a temporary problem. Only westerners want this because they are not use to seeing the sun at 5am. Waste of time.
smithinjapan
Meiwantyo: "Think of all the costs that taxpayers would have to pay to implement this stupid idea."
Name one. I can name about a hundred that would be saved by DST. Those don't include the Olympics much, if at all, but daily life would be much more convenient and people would save a lot of money in electricity.
smithinjapan
Amazing the back flips they are doing instead of just changing the dates. Reminds me of what schools do when it comes to Sports Day events. Once the date is set, they'll spend WEEKS thinking of ways to avoid simply changing it when it looks like weather/health/safety could be a major issue. Daylight Savings Time has been proposed countless times in Japan, but the government and business leaders complained about the idea, citing everything from the potential to "confuse" Japanese people to accusations of Western imperialism and stating Japan does not need it. Now, suddenly they are worried about how they will be seen if things go bad in Tokyo, so all the cultural arguments and concern about confusion and what not are a non-issue.
Kaishu
It'd be a great idea. Used to love daylight saving in Tas.... get home from school, as I got older - work, throw on the wettie and surf till 9:00-9:30 some nights.... Bit spooky at times, but certainly was a lot healthier both physically and mentally back then.
theeastisred
Couldn't agree more. My theory is that the current time is based on Kyoto rather than Tokyo, being closer to the East-West centre of Japan, but that's probably only a few minutes' difference so I agree with Cleo's suggestion.
goldorak
Exactly. 3.30/4am is still night time for most (the middle of the night for many).
shinhiyata
Japan actually did observe DST under the directive of the Allied occupation army from 1948 until 1951.
It was immediately revoked when sovereignty was restored in 1952. Despite the economic savings, DST was viewed as an imposition of foreign ideology on Japanese culture.
cleo
Regardless of the Olympics, it would make sense for Japan to put the clocks forward permanently one hour, and another hour for summertime. It's daft to have people sleeping a good two hours after sunrise and then turning the lights on in the evening.
What costs? A few TV/newspaper/Facebook commercials reminding people to adjust their clocks?
As opposed to the savings in electricity/more efficient use of solar power/long summer evenings/perk to the economy through more frequent replacement of faded curtains?
GW
Daylight savings time is a NO BRAINER that sadly Japan hasn't caught onto! If 202o can be a catalyst for it I so DO IT!
Right now its just idiotic the way time is set here!
BlackFlagCitizen
As if changing the time an hour or two is going to make any difference to this heat problem. The other day I woke up at 4:30am, and it was 27C. With that being said, there is no reason for the sun to rise at 3:45am here - the time should have been adjusted a long time ago
Meiyouwenti
Think of all the costs that taxpayers would have to pay to implement this stupid idea.
TumbleDry
Reckless: everything.
Add solar energy that is wasted because almost nobody is awake at that time.
papigiulio
Nonono, please. I hate setting my clocks back or forward every half year. Just keep this time and move the games to the evening or something. What is it with these people that they can't think of logical solutions, annoys the hell out of me.
Tokyo-Engr
Actually not a bad idea. I am usually up between 5 and 5:30 anyway so I would welcome the additional daylight in the evening when I finish work
u_s__reamer
As a society Japan is still sleeping the sleep of Rip Van Winkle. Looks like the alarm has been set for 2020! There'll be lots of catching up to do!
Pukey2
LOL!!!!
Forget about the cows. I'm going to have one less hour of sleep everyday! I won't cope.
sf2k
Hold the games at night since they refuse to move the games to October. Still be hot hot hot but maybe not as much. Then they can show off all the blue LEDs lighting their way. Marathons illuminated by street vending machines and restaurant lamps.
powderb
I support this completely, and for nothing to do with the Olympics.
The sun starts to peak through my curtains at nearly four in the morning. That light affects sleep quality. If that light started breaking around six, all the better.
And in the evening, dinner and drink with friends at twilight that stretches until nearly nine.
This seems wonderful to me.
Apart from the idea that Japanese office workers might feel obligated to stay at work later, what are the arguments against it?
gogogo
Do it! The sun coming up at 3:30am in summer and setting at 4:30pm in winter is crazy.... get with the times (pun) Japan :)
koiwaicoffee
Sure, you could play the olympics at night time and still would be to much hot for sports. But daylight saving time should come and stay, there is no reason at all to have sunrise at 4am right now, and having the sunset around 8-9pm does feel great.
MarkX
They need to adjust the clocks two hours ahead and then just leave them there. But as many said, it won't affect the temperatures only shift them to a different time. And its time to buy stock in curtain makers, many Japanese worry their curtains will fade with all the extra sunlight.
lucabrasi
@David
This is the Olympics. This is Japan. The cows will be filled with a raving patriotism that will allow them to come through with flying colours.
Yubaru
Simple....don't do it! Just adjust the time schedules of the events in question!
David Varnes
But aren't the poor cows going to be confused? Won't someone think of the unique Japanese cow?
sf2k
I think there are deck chairs somewhere that need moving. We're trying to get rid of this wasteful stupidity, not ask Japan to join it. Nothing is going to help the heat wave disaster that is going to be Tokyo 2020