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Going next week for the first time in years. But yeah, wouldn't ever think of going off course.

Done, done done done… done!

No, Patrick. It's not done until all the commenters here say so. :(

Japan should spend more time coming up with a plan to assist on keeping infection numbers down domestically instead of spending time trying to keep out a relatively small number of international visitors.

Any ideas on what that plan would involve?

"Omicron’s mortality rate was essentially zero for people under 60 and 0.18% for those aged 60 to 79, putting it very close to the seasonal flu’s mortality rate of 0.01% for people under 60 and 0.19% for those aged 60 to 79."*

Caught flu over the holidays and symptoms lasted 3 days whereas omicron's symptoms were done in a day when I got that last February. With that said I had received a coronavirus vaccine 5 months before being infected with omicron so make of that what you will.

tldr; Would rather catch omicron than catch flu.

*https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/coronavirus/20221223-78928/

There are many things I like about Japan. it's a great place to visit but, as a foreigner, don't expect to live there and prosper.

I've seen this advice a lot over the years. Always struck me as odd given that I know so many foreigners who have built great careers here in many different areas of work.

estimated that nearly 25 percent of the population have been infected

I feel like this is a very conservative estimate. I would estimate that Japan is well over the 50% mark now.

Keep in mind that around half of omicron cases are symptomless*

*https://time.com/6206640/covid-19-omicron-asymptomatic-infection/

Very high number for the New Year holiday weekend.

Is there some way I can subscribe to these comments? I simply don't want to miss out on this level of cutting analysis of high number/low number. Worried I'll miss it for other big occasions.

Experts say the pandemic is over and covid-19 can be considered an endemic disease.

Saying that these deaths are fine only shows a completely lack of empathy

Nobody ever said that..

Nobody is guaranteed to survive covid, 

99.9965% of people can expect to survive omicron now* including 98.31% of those infected in Japan who are over the age of 80**. In most places, it's less lethal than flu - and this has been the case for a long time.

The latest wave of flu is actually causing overcrowding issues in hospitals in the West so I'm more curious as to how Japan is faring with it.

*https://www.ft.com/content/e26c93a0-90e7-4dec-a796-3e25e94bc59b

**https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/coronavirus/20221223-78928/

Travelled home for Christmas (Merry Christmas everyone). Haven't seen a mask since transferring at Heathrow.

Really drives home the absurdity of day to day Tokyo life where they wear masks outside but take them off for their coffee/half pint highballs. Every person knows it's an exercise in futility/keeping up appearances now.

@falseflagsteve

You're right - Long Covid has been blown up out of all sense of reason. Only a few cases actually result in any long term severe problems. Most real cases being a scratchy throat for a few months. But try telling that to the people who hang out on long covid forums who live in a massive confirmation bias chamber.

That's a lot of dead.

But a whole lot more alive.

I think bed occupancy rates should be the important headline here.

70% in Kanagawa, Hiroshima, and Nagano*, just over 40% in Tokyo.

Case numbers, which haven't been all that important since three variants ago (think delta was when they started declaring State of Emergency based on bed occupancy over 50%?) can be given after that.

In any case, there's no real appetite for ineffective restrictions again (Please see China). So enjoy bonenkai season everyone! :)

*https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/level/

Most things are back to normal from my perspective. The last vestiges of coronavirus restrictions for me are the mandatory third vaccine/PCR result upon entry to Japan and enforced mask wearing at my gym.

No need for either of these at this stage.

Why grown-ass adults feel the need to wear costumes and wander around in public escapes me.

Fun way of meeting and talking to people. Like most events. Also doesn't cost any money.

Went out there last night for an hour and there's definitely more plainclothes normies have a gawp than actual costumed "revelers". Usually you can pick out some really good costumes but I didn't see any this time.

8 to 6 years ago it was a pretty good event and a lot more laid back but it's probably become a victim of its own success.

"I personally want a restraining order from people dressed up for Halloween."

What's the problem? Too scary? :O

But seriously, what a bunch of dinosaur fuddy duddies.

Fourth Day of Halloween now and it's been managed quite well this year.

I got my third shot on Thursday - it was one of the new bivalent vaccines. Honestly, I wouldn't have bothered with it if it weren't for that entry without a PCR test requirement they conjured up..

Symptoms were pretty much the same as when I actually got covid back in February (fatigue, headache, chills) except no back pain with the vaccine - just arm pain I guess.

Back on my feet just in time to enjoy Halloween parties. :) Remember when the sensible people used to call these parties "superspreader events"?

"There might be another wave later so I want to enjoy myself as much as I can while the disease's spread is still low."

Normalcy returns (hopefully indefinitely) and, for right now at least, we have every reason to be happy and enjoy ourselves. : )

Just back from a matsuri that was cancelled for two years. Off to Yokosuka in a while for the fireworks.

Have people become less susceptible to hardships?

Probably a few reasons behind it. Better government support, more openness, lots of online support groups.

There was a bump in the numbers for women and young men after the pandemic hit though*

Also when you look back, the 2000s seem to have been a particularly bad time in Japan.

*https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01283/

Up from last Wednesday (41,193) but not by much.

Excluding last week, it's the lowest Wednesday number since June 29th when we had 23,346 cases.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Coronavirus-cases-in-Tokyo-soar-to-3-803-nationwide-tally-23-346

The downward trend continues.

Very little cause for concern anymore unless you live in painkiller's parallel universe.

We can expect cases to start rising as tourism increases as many European countries now going into their next wave (ahead of Japan).

Fortunately, only mild symptoms for most but those at risk should be that bit more careful going into winter.

Sadly this has led some people to believe that there are half a million people undergoing active treatment!

They're fully aware - the faux doomer up top included. Also, it's actually pretty funny when you realize that the other guy has been rilling up this comments section for months based on just that translation.

Mixed reaction here. I've been enjoying my domestic trips without the tourist hordes. Being in onsen towns where I'm the only non-Japanese feels like its 1985 again.

Yeah, I know what you mean (except for the 1985 part) but the Covid restrictions had to end at some point.

We had a good run. On the bright side, we have 2 weeks left with two long weekends including this one.

Hopefully Japan will eventually sort out overtourism - I would imagine the locals in Kyoto will have something to say about it after 2 years of solace.

It would appear from the above update that there are fewer and fewer cases of coronavirus in Tokyo. Coincidentally, the number of comments on these daily updates are also decreasing in number.

A step backwards.

I was at a packed out Ultra Japan over the weekend. Little to no mask wearing - outdoors or indoors.

And all I can say is "great". We should be able to enjoy ourselves - especially when numbers drop this low between waves. Really loving that events like Ultra and fireworks celebrations are back this year.

Tokyo reports 8,855 new coronavirus cases

Huge numbers compared to one year ago! :O

And even huger numbers compared to two years ago! :O

But it's a completely different variant. Much milder. Especially when factoring in that most have been infected already or vaccinated.

A welcome development. I didn't get the original booster because for me who had the first two shots and got omicron (btw, I think it's fair to say if you got covid this year it was omicron seeing as 90% of cases in early January were already omicron), I didn't think it was necessary.

I don't really know if I'll get this one yet either - I'm not in an at-risk group and was happy enough with my symptoms. Might have to get it for travel maybe. Regardless, it's good that we'll have it for at-risk groups before the next wave.

@samuraiJack

Cheers. Didn't know we had up to date figures.

Really significant decreases across all of Japan. Especially Okinawa. Most places at or under the 50% level.

Except Aichi and Shiga for whatever reason.

Can we call a wrap to this wave then? And no state of emergency was needed.

Our latest covid bed use rates published today show decreases in bed use in Tokyo, Saitama, and Fukuoka. More beds occupied in Osaka than last week and it's gone from 70% to 90% of beds filled in Okinawa.

Again, I feel like this is the only information that really matters at this stage. Case numbers haven't been a good measure for pandemic severity for a long time now.

*https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/2019-ncov-e/11477-covid19-ab96th-en.html