Highlander in Tokyo comments

No. 50% or less of the foreigners yes.

um… not sure where you were, but foreigner heavy areas were nearly 100% without a mask. The areas with no other foreigners were around 50%

Unfortunately it hasn't. In Bangkok on business and masks everywhere.

Was in Bangkok last month and while there were masks “everywhere” only 50% or less of the people were wearing them. Japan won’t go to only 50% on March 13, nor May 8, but the process of “moving on” means it needs to be personal choice rather than expected, like Thailand has become.

…so why are we waiting until May 8th to change the classification relax the so called “guidelines”?

Like everything in life, there are risks. The "rules" are changing on May 8th, so take the risk you can accept. If you can't accept it, then stay home.

"Masks are like pants, you don't go outside without your pants on". That's what one of my Japanese coworkers says. It sums up the same points made in the article. Masks are worn in Japan to fit in more than they are worn to protect against a virus. It's also becoming comical. For example, I recently traveled by airplane to Kumamoto. The airplane announcement said to maintain 2 meters distance while boarding and un-boarding the plane, but I was sitting less that one meter from the person in front and behind me, and even less to the person next to me. Then everyone removed their masks at the same during the drink service.

Ive always kept little bottles of alcohol in the car and in my bag to use immediately after leaving a supermarket, restaurant, etc.,

I keep large bottles of alcohol at home and disinfect my throat everyday after returning from work.

…people hospitalized with severe symptoms in Tokyo is 18

In a city this size there are only 18 severe cases. I’m not sure why I need to care about these numbers anymore.

I have first hand experience on multiple occasions of traveling to the USA this year and watching Japanese coworkers and tourist promptly remove their masks after arriving there. I don’t care one bit if tourists visiting Japan wear a mask or not. There is a bit too much hypocrisy around this topic and I think the media stories add to it. Just do as you wish and if you are really that worried, then don’t go to the tourist spots or restaurants.

…holiday catch-up reporting…

I haven't seen an unmasked foreigner here in 3 years.

just look at the photo of the arrival lobby at the top of the story. I count at least 3.

60,000 police officers?!?

I am in Hawaii right now. MANY Japanese tourists. At least 90% are not wearing masks at all. It seems like the need for these types of measure only exists in Japan (and China).

in Japan almost everyone wears a mask and today’s new cases are 94,493 (0.075% of the population). In the USA almost nobody wears a mask. And yesterdays new cases were 95,342 (0.029% of the population. I’m becoming increasingly convinced that mask are not working for various reasons.(https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/)

Things are starting to change inside Japan. Other than a few mandatory stay home periods, I have been going the office daily. I used to see between 0 and 1 person per week without a mask on the train. Now I’m seeing 4 or 5 every day. I’m not even talking about having it pulled down to their chin; it’s not there at all. And that just the train…many more people are removing the masks while walking out doors. It’s getting hotter and more humid; so…

I’ve stopped putting much emphasis on the overall case numbers. But the rise in severe cases and hospitalizations is hard to ignore.

I basically agree and think the sever symptom number is what matters. This site has it at 115 for Tokyo...

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en

Same site shows Tokyo hospitalizations at 3399, BUT the fine print says "include those recovering at designated hotels or at home". Who knows what's really going on?!?

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.

I know people than can’t reserve their second shot because there is already a “shortage”. The municipalities web site is outright blaming it on the central government. Yet they are only now “considering” to increase supply or pull in orders. Japan has made my inefficient home country look highly efficient.

Did they finish by 8:00pm and refrain from alcohol?

Got my coupon, but can't get an appointment. All SDF slots are booked and my city is not yet accepting scheduling requests for the coupon they sent me...

Nope. Just another bit of nonsense and lack of common sense.

There are American doctors in multiple locations in Japan that are administering vaccines at American bases. Even though I'm an American with a passport and still pay taxes in America, I don't have access to the base or the vaccines. I know there are "reasons" for this, but it is completely plausible that a function of the USA government that my tax money funds could administer a vaccine to me in a way that does not interfere with base security.

The airbase that is only 6 miles from my apartment is vaccinating private American citizens, including children. It's just that they happen to be family members of military personnel.

There seems to be many more ideas being discussed, and hopefully appropriately considered, to accelerate the vaccine efforts. Whether they can actually pull any of it off remains to be seen.

The problem I have is why only now are these types of ideas and acceleration being considered? The "desire" to hold the Olympics was not enough; the damage to the economy was not enough; the financial impact on the people (e.g. loss of employment) was not enough; the strain on the medical system was not enough...

Are these ideas now being considered because business leaders and other first world countries have "named" Japan for it's inability to act appropriately? Just wondering since the government keep threating to "name" people for actions that might have a negative impact on the COVID situation...

Seems to me that the numbers are not significantly impacted by the SOE. People are still going out and doing as much as they can. The one clear think the SOE does is cause finical hardship for small business and their workers. Near my home I have watched numerous businesses close for good. It's a shame that the business owners and their employees are paying the price for the governments inability to act. There are better ways to do things.

So let me get this straight...Japan will "decide" whether to approve the Moderna vaccine on May 20. Meanwhile, Suga order a large scale vaccine center, which will "exclusively offer Moderna" vaccine and "will launch on May 24".

https://japantoday.com/category/national/suga-orders-creation-of-large-scale-vaccination-center-in-tokyo

It really seems like the decision has already been made and is being delayed purely to coincide with the large scale vaccine center. This a such a load of crap.

I am still trying to figure out which variant gained the intelligence to know what time it is and whether the restaurant is serving alcohol. I have seen countless restaurants packed elbow to elbow at 5pm because everyone must finish by 8pm. The virus doesn't spread based on time of day and type of drinks served. It spreads based on close proximity/contact with people not taking appropriate precautions. Here's an idea...let the restaurants stay open and even extend their hours, but require limited occupancy improved precautions. Also, this roller coaster is not going to end if people keep getting forced (or shamed) into retreating into their tiny apartments. Every time an SOE ends everyone is so anxious to get out that they will all go out at the same time. It's time for the government to get its act together with some common sense approaches...and vaccines!