Japanoob comments

The world of political diplomacy has changed in the last 30+ years since Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms too. The CCP needs to get its head out of the 70’s and understand this. Antagonizing other nations the way they do now is not a good road to go down and global opposition will just increase.

I'm guessing from the numerous down votes on the posts of people wishing to 'stay safe/well' this discussion is populated by quite a few cynics. To the afore mentioned cynics remember not every has lived in Japan for as long I expect you have and are prepared for a big typhoon approaching.

People new to living in Japan please do stay safe. Sometimes these typhoons are no more than a very rainy and windy day in London or Seattle. At other times they are down right dangerous!

Do stock up and prepare not to leave the relative safety of your homes for about 24 hours. Err on the side of caution and assume this will be as destructive as some others have in the past.

So yeah stay safe people. All of you (the cynics too!)

@ Raw Beer

The higher the death rate, the faster herd immunity will be achieved...

Doesn’t sound so reasonable now does it?

@ R. T.

It's not about whether politicians go to hospitals or not. It's about the possible consequences that may arise.

It's about whether politicians are capable of doing the best job they're elected to do because they're not distracted by health concerns or fatigue/burnout which could lead to some really bad decisions.

If Abe steps aside at a time like this it could cause a power struggle among the coalition gvt' (even with Aso stepping in to the role). Again, this could distract from their jobs when they're supposed to be fixing the worst economic, political (i.e. US and China and Japan caught in the middle etc.) and health crisis in modern times.

IMO if Abe does retire then good riddance. Hopefully that moron Aso will then burnout quickly too and somone (anyone!) with common sense can step in to the role of P.M..

Wishful thinking I know ...

@ P. Smith

he wants the power to control an ejection

typo? I think you may have meant to write 'erection' but even then you'd be mistaken ;-)

@yubaru

She doesn't 'make' 3 million yen for one article of clothing. They are sold at that price.

Figure in labor, cost of design, and marketing, overheads and materials etc. and her margin may not be as large as you think.

@Paul

Yes. Absolutely and without any question he undoubtedly must have done so.

@ Simian Lane

The tourist industry in Japan had gotten greedy the last few years, and then they gambled big on the Olympics for nothing but their own personal gain. And now it’s all come crashing down.

The tourist industry didn't 'get greedy'. Demand increased so they increased supply. It's simple economics. Where else are they supposed to put up the 50+ million annual visitors to Kyoto?

And, yes @TokyoJoe, some hotels increase prices during the peak season and it's annoying but it's how they stay afloat to counter the quieter times during the year without letting staff go (and be sure that's it's not the hotel booking platform you're using that is doing that based on cookies and not the hotel itself).

The tourist industry here in Kyoto is not just large hotel chains. Why do many have such a narrow view of what constitutes an industry sector??

It consists of thousands of small privately owned businesses (examples include the majority in Nishiki Market, those on the way up to Kiyomizu-dera and around Fushimi etc etc ). Many people are losing their jobs and risking their financial futures by dipping in to their savings just to keep their doors open and keep staff employed.

Whether it's management or staff 'lower down the ladder' it still sucks just as much for both to be on the seriously at risk of unemployment.

It's heartbreaking to see the closed hotels and shuttered stores and other struggling businesses here in Kyoto that people have worked hard for years to build to come crashing down through no fault of their own in a matter of a few short months.

‘519 items by 121 producers to 17 e-commerce buyers’

Not exactly big numbers here. JETRO should be making a concerted effort to support ALL artisans from across Japan at a time like this when they’re at risk of folding and Japan losing some of it’s heritage forever if they do.

And why go through just a relatively small handful of e-commerce buyers?!

Much too little and possibly too late.

@Akie

A wise and responsible gvt' will not succumb to the CCP's bullying and frequent inflammatory accusations directed at other countries when they don't get their way(e.g. 'interfering with internal affairs').

When the CCP begins at act like a mature player on the world stage and stick to their commitments such as with H.K. then they will be treated with the respect they deserve and not before.

@Yabaru

I wasn’t comparing the (insert country name here) to Japan. I was merely stating, and sharing, that a very informative study had already been conducted elsewhere long before now on the detriment to mental health caused by Covid to date.

6 months in with seemingly rising crime based on this media outlets reporting and inevitable elevated stress levels in japan doing a study so late in the day is overdue imo.

There was no mention of ‘using the same guidelines’ in my comment so again I’m unsure why you mention that.

I don’t hold the US to be the gold standard in much either so again I’m not sure why you jumped to the conclusion I do.

Though I agree with you it’s been completely mishandled there.

Have a great day!

A bit late to the table. Someone in US already did this in early May i.e. 2.5 months ago.:(https://theconversation.com/new-study-shows-staggering-effect-of-coronavirus-pandemic-on-americas-mental-health-137944).

But, nonetheless, good to see mental health being studied/discussed in Japan. Long overdue and much needed!

@Raw Beer

proven to help protect against Covid19 is our vitamin D levels

I’m interested to know whether this ‘help’ is specific to C-19 (in addition to the usual benefits of vit. D).

Do you have a reliable (i.e. peer reviewed from a scientific publication preferably) source for this that you could share with us please? Thx!

I’m sorry but I have the right to act how I like until certain actions are deemed illegal.

Assuming you're in Japan then you know it's one of the few countries that doesn't have the legal framework to tell you to 'stay home or be fined' so you're just taking advantage of what many consider to be a 'loophole' which resulted from the current laws (which are now under review).

most important decade of their life robbed from them

Firstly, where did you get it's going to, for a lack of a better word, 'inconvenience' people for a 'decade' from? Please name a reliable source for this. Secondly, if we all act responsibly i.e. and not follow your way of thinking this is not going to last a 'decade' so ironically your questionable advice is prolonging this but then you complain about it robbing people's best years.

People are allowed to be selfish.

I have no words to comment on this as it's such an alien concept to me and many others. Nonetheless I wish you, your friends and family and all the one's you care for and all the people you meet on a daily basis the best of luck and the best of health.

For those wondering why this is being done now i.e. before a possible vaccine is developed...

If/when a vaccine hits the streets gvt's and pharmas need to be prepared to manufacture and distribute asap. Taking steps to do so is sensible at this time.

Additionally Covid isn't just a domestic issue. It's to a gvt's advantage to provide other countries with a possible vaccine as well (such as the UK has agreed to do for e.g.)

IMO 'enough for 30 million people annually' is insufficient considering the population of Japan. I'm hoping the article just neglected to mention other pharmas in Japan preparing to ramp up production as well.

People in Japan shouldn't be at 'the risk of being heavily reliant on imports'. That's just going to create a price war with imported vaccines here being very expensive and poorer countries not being able to afford sufficient doses.

He's just going to use the daily briefings in place of rallies.

I'm betting Fuaci will be sidelined with Brix front and center at them now.

The only way these places will be stopped from doing business fast is if 'concerned citizens' gather in large groups (e.g. 10+ people practicing social distancing) and start filming/photographing patrons entering and leaving. The majority of patrons will just do a 180 and head home when they see their photos being taken. And if the bars are controlled by gangs they can't do a thing, other than shout and throw their toys out the play pen, against a large group of people (with other large groups near by staking out other clubs). The gvt' and police are sadly powerless in terms of the law to do anything so it's down to the populace to do what is necessary. A ridiculous measure to even propose I know but it's the only way that will stop the clubs from doing business overnight.

@Hawkeye

He can’t be a ‘criminal’ as it never got to trial so nothing was ever proven in a court of law. Call him what you want but you can’t call him a ‘criminal’ (or ‘guilty’) at this stage.

For a country that builds islands in disputed territorial waters they're not in a position to talk about meddling in other countries affairs.ut

And agreed with above. They have zero credibility on the world stage now (but it's not like the CCP cares...) and aren't taking steps to amend this.

@EL Rata

unless required by a client

So you'll wear a mask if a client asks but you won't if your close friends/family ask.

I'm guessing the ¥ is more important than people's health and well being to you.

One day you'll look back on this time and question your decisions.

Until then keep fighting your good fight .....

@didou

I still do not wear a mask unless asked and required.

You are being 'asked' to wear a mask (albeit not verbally) by pretty much every single person you pass by in the street or sit near to in public in this country.

These people are 'asking' you to help protect them and their families i.e. their loved ones. Their kids, parents, siblings, etc. (not to mention friends, co-workers, acquaintances, public workers).

Wearing a mask for your own safety is only half the consideration. Kindly start thinking of others.

Just do the right thing for a few months it ain't hard and barely an imposition.

@ Ah_so

Good choice. But it's also such a good song it would be ruined by association ;-)

I'd go for Hurt (Johnny Cash cover). Chorus and 1st couple of lines of 2nd verse are so apt....

@ Mark

Your coming at this wrong.

Most meetings can be done on-line however some can't.

Sometimes face to face meetings are required for a number of obvious reasons so I won't cover them here.

Additionally (as just one example) Nagoya is near Toyota HQ and mgmt' in Tokyo need to visit the factory/suppliers there (again for a number of obvious reasons so I won't go in to them here).

So how much are these people getting paid p/h? Let's say ¥ 3~5000+ per hour at the very least.

So for every journey saving 40 minutes that's about ¥ 2,000 to ¥3,000 saved each way, every single time they travel, which can be many times a week for staff across the company.

Think about it.... The Tokaido Shinkanen's user base is primarily business people Mon~Fri.

Time really is money and by reducing the time taken to travel companies save vasts amounts of money they would have had to have paid as salary/overtime as a result.

@Mark

I envy you.

Seems like you don't have experience working for a company where either yourself, or your coworkers, were bullied/power or sexually harassed . If you did you'd be a lot more hesitant to jump in with speculative and accusatory comments.

To then go on to insinuate that people that claim successfully then go off to work in host(ess) clubs is astonishingly callous.

So yeah as someone who has witnessed first hand such harrassment in Japanese companies and the damage it does to the employees it's directed at I am envious of you're naivety.

Abe did not make any big mistakes

Yeah right...... One could argue he didn't make any mistakes because he took no discernible action.

@CarlosTakanakana

Japanese language only.

UI is in Japanese/English/Chinese.

App is now available for download on Apple App store for those that want it. (Sorry don't have an Android so not sure about them).

It's called 'COVID-19 Contact App' - Japan MHLW Official.

It's currently listed in 'New Apps We Love'.

Recognizable among the many other COVID related by Apps by the MHLW logo.

Urge away but they could make it easier by putting some info and a link to the App Stores on their site. If its on the MHLW site I couldn't find it.

@Alfie Noakes

My first thought as well. Relatively quick to arrest these two but not follow through with an Interpol Red Notice from the UK Gvt'.

Disappointing double standards. The US should require the Japanese judicial system get their act together before arresting anyone at their request.

{For those unfamiliar with the situation google 'Harry Dunn crash'.}

If Pompeo keeps up the accusations on China like this (as deserved as they might be) I may just forget what an appalling job Trump did in protecting his own people or his self-serving ways.

But I doubt people will forget this anytime soon or even this coming November. Nice try though .....

{For those that need reminding: https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-memo-republican-campaigns-to-attack-china-for-covid-19-2020-4}