Marcus Clarke comments

Me and my kids, love seeing this kind mistake. Turns into a great lesson for them.

They knew straight away not to mess with Kyoto.

Surely it would have to be someone in the industry, another farmer whose crops were damaged by weather or someone in the wholesale fruit market. with the ability to offload this fruitful haul?

I got my wife a purse about 10+ years ago. Cost was over ￥40,000. I was not happy about it at the time.

But it does not look Nuff, and it is still going really strong, with the only wear show on some of the leather trims.

She's happy, she wanted it and deserved something a little special, why not?

Well, I am lucky enough to have got my family of four tickets to Okinawa for 3 nights over Xmas.

Flights, resort hotel, meals and a rental car, dirt cheap to start with, super cheap with "GO TO ". Personally I am both thrilled and worried. First at regular prices it would be hard to give my kids that kind of trip. Second worry about the virus is there, as well as a kind of guilt as I know we should not be going. But it is happening, am going, stoked.

As for the go to travel program, I can understand why the Gov. wants it. But it is a bit silly really.

They should at least stop people from traveling far and wide, Like making it for your own prefecture and neighbouring ones. It will either shoot them in the foot for the Olympics, or kinda show Japan is somewhat safe. I have not seen any major increases in the virus from Silver week.

It's likely the Gov will use it to say to the world Japan is low risk, come (please) come to our Olympics.

Inviting a corana party.

Wow, someone is really bringing home the bacon.

Where I live nothing ever happens (almost)

A few years back, a drunk office worker was walking home, took a short cut and decided

to knock off one water mellon. He got caught and his name, job and where he lives was all

printed in the local news. Poor guy probably lost his job and probably moved houses.

Black lives do matter, no one should die at the hands of the police in the way this guy died. We have seen it time and time again recorded evidence of it since Rodney King. How many undocumented cases must there be, when there were no cameras rolling be mobile phones? I don't believe for a minute that the guy was a saint. I am no saint either,

I am a father, a son and a brother with a family as was he, if he did something wrong he should have been dealt with. But the attitudes of some (maybe more than some) is ingrained. And that is what the BLM movement is trying to highlight. For those who keep banging on about all lives matter, put a sock in it. It is true all lives matter, but you are missing the point of the BLM movement. The following are not my words, but they make sense.

If my wife comes to me in obvious pain and asks, ‘Do you love me?’ an answer of ‘I love everyone’ would be truthful, but also hurtful and cruel in the moment,”

“If a co-worker comes to me upset and says, ‘My father died,’ a response of ‘Everyone’s parents die’ would be truthful but hurtful and cruel in the moment.

“So when a friend speaks up in a time of obvious pain and hurt and says, ‘Black lives matter,’ a response of ‘All lives matter’ is truthful. But it’s hurtful and cruel in the moment.”

BLM is an important issue, and should be addressed, needs attention drawn to it and needs support. They are citizens of whatever country they live in and should enjoy the same freedoms and treatment that we would expect.

"Wow, I live here. Such a peaceful place usually."

Me too. Where I live quiet place small city near the beach, seems great. Have two hikikomori kids next door,

one in his forties the other in his twenties. Both very strange one more than the other. I try to think they are harmless, but cannot. The whole family as a unit is broken, starting with their late grandfather to his kids, one of his kids brothers, their kids. There is two and a half different families under the one roof. Enough to make anyone crack. I don't know the situation with this incident, but that will come out soon.

Someone mentioned about the low crime rate in Japan, thats true, But I reckon this kind of crime in more prevalent here than other countries. Socially inept people, often treated badly by members of their own family.

The grandfather next door would constantly verbally berate his own hikikomori kid and grandson. Him passing was the best thing for the family next door. (needless to say not all families, but a lot)

point being no love or support at home, hard to get from the outside, twang, snap. Has been seen time and time again. For a developed country the number of people who cannot function in society in some capacity is really quite alarming. ( again dont know the situation in this case but maybe)

I don't need the money but I will take it and put it in my kids bank accounts.

If they can pass an emergency budget, why are they not staying all night and passing new laws

or even temporary changes to the constitution. They need to shut pubs and pachinko etc and this money should be used to help the pubs and other small shops and people who can't work. Not a blanket everyone gets ￥100,000. Abe and Co. seem to be taking a fingers crossed and close your eyes approach to handling this virus. Pubs please close by 8pm, Pachinko you had better close or we will name you....ha ha ha.

Firm action, actions that will have results are virtually impossible.

I am not super worried, i think I am fit enough/ a healthy dose of wishful thinking. I know it has got healthy people too. I am more worried about losing my ability to earn and to look after my family. I am self employed, still doing ok. But it is crazy to think what might happen. For me life is almost as usual here in Tottori, 3 cases (known/ disclosed)

Worried about my kids school, other people and the future.

I do the same. mask and snorkel, get buckets of hamaguri. Beautiful water too where I am in Tottori.

I think a few people here are missing some reality here. Do you really think that that is what he is doing on his day off. It is just a PR video to try and get the population to do the right thing and stay home.

I understand the need to try and get people to stay home. But him doing a video like that, without a worry about money or future (money wise) is rubbing some poeple's nose's the wrong way. How are most people who STAY HOME going to relax. No work = no money. And many people don't have $$$$ enough. He comes from a super rich family, he is loaded. It is not that he is not allowed to stay home and relax with his dog.

It is that most people can't do that. 3 kids screaming. trying to keep kids accupied, fed etc.

I bet a soon as that video shoot was finished he was back in a suit and back at work.

Yeah he is allowed a day off it's not like he is running a country or something like that.

I read elsewhere that he didn't even ask permission from the singer to use his song. just did it.

The scary thing is Golden Week is just weeks away. I have not been hearing much about what people should not do. Abe San should be on TV everything reminding people not to go on trips, not to go back to home towns. It needs to start now. Its already too late really. Tourists sites and souvenir shops need to be closed.

If not GW will still be GW for for many. I have heard from many parents, my wife included " I feel sorry for the kids, just want to d something for them" How about worry for them and keep them out of harms way.

Hate to say but Japan's restrictive constitution, Abe San's indecisiveness, and a large number of the general population's blase attitude. (not all, but large) Will/ might force herd immunity on us.

We might not see 50km GW traffic jams, but people will still get up and about, no doubt.

"This country has too much denial and incompetence too beat this. They had a massive head start, dropped the ball, and have been twiddling thumbs ever since.

They will never beat this when the people fighting it have no clue or common sense.

One cluster at a hospital, they cleaned everything except the tablets they were ALL using 40+ people out of the health system.

A group of doctors and trainee doctors go drinking, end of march mind you."

And now 225 police officers are off from work, Why STUPIDITY.

Aichi police who continued to practice Kendo have it. A lot of yelling and screaming ( kiai) in Kendo.

Dont they know it spreads in droplets?

Words don't equal a lock down. Abe San it still looks like you are the puppet at the front of the line.

A lock down / complete or or partial will have no effect what so ever. This country has too much denial and incompetence too beat this. They had a massive head start, dropped the ball, and have been twiddling thumbs ever since.

They will never beat this when the people fighting it have no clue or common sense.

One cluster at a hospital, they cleaned everything except the tablets they were ALL using 40+ people out of the health system.

A group of doctors and trainee doctors go drinking, end of march mind you.

get drunk and play stupid games were they get undressed and kiss each other. So a group of about 10 idiots then go to work, and now about 100 have to isolate themselves because of these fools. I wonder how many will end up with it.

Where I live, virus free Tottori "wink wink". They are asking people not to come, but the sand dune, and all the other tourist spots are all still open. They have no idea. People will continue to come unless you close these places. And they are still preparing for GW.

First off, I think Japan should have been put in lock down, as a precaution.

But I can kind of understand Abe san's reluctance. Japan was one of the first countries to record cases of the virus. We have had some really bad management of people coming home from parts of the world. The Okinawa family that went to Spain, the people who refused to be tested, and people allowed home after getting off the boat. And Japan did not see huge amounts of increases in cases. With this all happening weeks ago, hard for him to declare a SOE. Then things start to increase, rapidly not really but steady, time to act, yes, was he late yes. I think he was between a rock and a hard place for a bit. But in the end action was way too slow.

A stated above,

"Abe is not permitted to declare a state of emergency at his own discretion. He needs to seek input from an advisory panel comprising experts in medicine and public health who determine whether the situation calls for an emergency declaration."

Anyone who has been living here for a while knows that the Japanese medical association has more power than sense. Waiting for any panel to decide something in this country.......well.........

"If necessary, I won't hesitate to declare a state of emergency," Abe said in a parliamentary session on Friday. But at the same time he said he does not yet believe infections have spread widely enough nationwide."

Sounds just like what the guy from the WHO was spouting about a pandemic, turns out he was way late in declaring a pandemic. It is hard to believe that a seemingly rational world leader can not see whats happening around him and in the world.

"A Japanese government panel of experts"

It's long been known by a few in Japan than experts actually means "Galah"

"A Japanese government panel of galahs" and it is easy to understand the decision making in Japan.

(the Australian slang for galah is perfect)

I think a lockdown will probable happen by the end of the week, as the title says "the pressure is building"

It might take a few more days of procrastination, then someone will say to Abe S an lets do it. But only as a trial over these days and only in Tokyo, then back to work as usual while they go over data. Or some other halfhearted lockdown. I might be wrong, hope I am. I think almost every other country was too late in locking down. Australia seems to be doing well, pretty strict lock down down under, numbers have slowed. Hope it stays that way for them.

Just to reassure people the place is safe..When will it be used next? Any virus that was there is not since dead.

How many of the cases in Tokyo recently been on trains and buses? Are they tracking friends and relatives putting them into isolation. This is pointless in everyway. It has two and a half lines to the story, but my inbox notification it is accompanied with a headline and photo. WOW big news.

I live in Tottori one of the few places with no reported cases. There was a report today that the sanddune is bustling with tourists, as we have no cases. This is the time to shut down the place and tell the tourists your not welcome at this time. Containment is out of the question, but slowing it down is the only thing we can do, and unless we do and those in charge realize that, we will end up with it being way out of control.

Now the olympics have been canceled, it has been reported that Japanese comedian Shimura ken has been very sick with the virus. He is now recovering (happy for him) But he is the first high profile case I have heard of in Japan, maybe I have missed others. But the timing seems strange that they report it only after the Olympics have been postponed. I wonder if over the next week more cases of famous people come to light.

Might just be coincidence too.

As for the Olympics being postponed seems like everyone except the IOC and the Japanese Gov. knew it would happen. What a waste of time and effort, that could (should ) have gone into planning / taking action against the virus.

Stupidity is everywhere. Australians flocking to the beaches (my home country) A family from Okinawa traveling to Spain because they have no school, then ignoring advice to isolate. Thousands of people flocking to see Cherry blossoms. Even in my house, we live in a prefecture where there are no recorded cases, it's more than likely here though. My wife wants to go to Hiroshima for three days. She feels sorry for our kids stuck at home. ( they are loving it though) But I can never win an argument with her. I just can't get over peoples attitudes sometimes. Australia is at over 1000 case as of today, borders are shut, pubs and cafes are closed from today. Life here goes on...

Common sense can and will slow down the spread, wont stop it, but will be easier to deal with.

Lack of common sense will speed things up, and choke up the health system.

I don't know why Japan's numbers are so low, fudged numbers, good health practices as some people say, doubt it, good handling by those in charge, no way??

But numbers are increasing now, and I think an explosion is in the works.

I am going to fight with my other half for the next few days, try and talk some sense into her.

Probably a bit early. Japan has been lucky so far, and maybe with the warmer weather around the corner things might settle down? But I would prefer the country be more cautious. It has the one of the oldest populations if not the oldest in the world. And Italy I think has the second oldest population, and we know how bad it is there. It wouldn't hurt to give it a little more time. Japan is not in a panic situation like other countries and there is talk of a vaccine around the corner, I would wait.

"the government is hiding the truth to protect the Olympics"

I have not noticed any cases where high profile people have the virus in Japan. Australia has people in the news with it, politicians with it and sporting people with it. The virus is not selective and does not hide under rocks. Surely it is more wide spread that we are being lead to believe.

BUT is that so bad, at least we can still go and buy groceries.