Vreth comments

Whenever I see these numbers I always remember an old MAD magazine article called, 'Fuzzy Math', always gives me a chuckle.

@robert maes

the other day when Suga said they needed 500 nurses and it was no problem because a lot of them were taking time off, are those 500 nurses supposed to be unpaid volunteers?

if so I totally missed that, makes it even more ridiculous he expects them to work for free bloody hell.

The fact that it's called Golden Week when it's only three days always makes me laugh. Always gotta oversell everything. Golden Week, State of Emergency, Strong measure, all buzzwords that fall short of what they promise.

Probably won't do anything but at least it's just more proof that people don't want the olympics to happen.

They could have fixed up their 80's looking aquarium, which is an actual tourist attraction. If I actually heard someone say, Hey let's travel to Noto to see the giant squid, I think I would cry from how pitiful that idea would be.

@R Barnett

Have you seen what has happened in Australia

Yeah, they had some strict lockdowns where every citizen was financially supported, followed by total freedom and back to normal life.

Since this began in Japan there's been mixed messages, random closings of different businesses, and guilt tripping cancel everything in your life except commuting and working. Commenters all over the internet always say Look at those selfish people! when they see pictures like this, even though they aren't breaking the law or putting anyone at a greater risk that they would by commuting every day. In Australia no one says anything like this because they've done the lockdowns and now can do what they like.

@HBJ

These business leaders are presuming that the government is failing but acting in good faith.

Dude if you've figured that out don't you think they have? They're probably worried about falling too far behind international companies that are already being vaccinated.

@n1k1

Have you worked in Japan? There's no time to have a kid. There's people at my workplace that plan to come in during golden week because they have too many things to do. Plus daily overtime and low salary, the average couple just don't have the time or money for a kid.

@Antiquesaving

Far out, I didn't know that. I've never seen a field hockey club. Makes more sense now, thanks man.

Field hockey? Of all the sports why not pick one the average Japanese student might actually care about.

@Eyeblack

That seems to be the message. Just keep working, don't stop for any reason. Don't have a holiday, don't see your friends or family, don't go to any restaurants, don't leave your apartment unless you are commuting to work. Just keep working.

My local supermarket was extremely busy today. I'm guessing everyone was buying supplies to make sunday lunch and dinner when they would otherwise go to a restaurant. So everyone was funnelled into the same place, when before they would be spread out and in smaller groups.

Apart from that, life was totally normal here. People are clearly not buying into the emotionally abusive lockdown, where we are being guilted into not doing anything but working.

There's literally nothing stopping everyone from Osaka and Tokyo travelling to different prefectures while their own is partially locked down. And honestly why wouldn't you? As people have pointed out, Golden Week for some is the only time of the year they can relax and travel. If I was an office worker in Tokyo I wouldn't be cancelling any plans I had. If you've survived your crowded trains and cramped offices for over a year now, you'll no doubt survive staying at a ryokan somewhere in the mountains or drinking at a bar in Wakayama.

I'm personally for Australia and New Zealand style lock downs, rip the band-aid off so we don't have any of these half hearted situations where you have to feel guilty about doing anything but working.

@Monty

I think he means the term "stress out" actually means to become overwhelmed by stress.

In your post I'm sure you meant something like "destress", like reducing stress or relaxing. It's clear what you meant and definitely true for Japanese companies.

@Monty

If they close departement stores and amusement Parks and Pachinko, of course people will travel to the next possible "Open-Prefecture".

Exactly right. This is basically a stealth GoTo travel scheme for golden week.

So the department stores and amusement places may close in Tokyo and Osaka. With no mention of travel restrictions it sounds to me like everyone is going to leave the cities for golden week and head to places with no closures. And with no mention of schools closing the weeks after everyone returns from their golden week travels should be fun.

@geronimo2006

Anyone know which shot they are offering?

If it's anything like when I visited there I'd say definitely rum, whiskey and gin too if you are keen.

@falseflagsteve

Schools aren't free daycare. Think outside the box, adapt and deal with the situation. Take some time off and spend it with your kids. Can't do that? Ask your friends and family if they can watch your kids for a few hours. Don't forget, schools aren't made up of just students, there are teachers, parents, grandparents all connected. If cancelling classes for a few weeks can save some lives then it's worth a little bit of inconvenience. I hardly think visiting a cafe is worth sacrificing someone's health or life for.

At this rate it would be faster to enter medical school, become a doctor and give yourself the vaccine.

Imagine if Japan had done something like this and we could look forward to a safe Olympics, fun golden week and beaches in the summer.

@Reckless

How? It's going to be a TV only event, how will that help the economy?

If they'd focused on the virus first and then the games they could have had both under control. This is going to be a case study in doing everything wrong.

do your own research.

Yeah keep 'researching' until you find a website that says what you already believed. iwasright.com.

Sad. A lost cohort of new grads will be hit hard by this.

I agree, I feel sorry for the people that may have been working towards this for a number of years.

@R.T.

How do you not see the irony in your post?

Free speech is a basic human right?Unless you are a woman in which case you should shut up and know your place.

@Garthgoyle

The games are already a massive failure and the leader of it said that everyone should just shut up and know their place.

I think you'd have to be pretty thick headed to hitch yourself to that damned trailer.

They should combine the vaccination with Go To Travel. Just have everyone criss crossing the country visiting small hospitals to receive it. It will help test the vaccination efficacy and spread a bit of yen around. But no vaccinations after 8pm please.

Olympic games are supposed to be about unity. The Japanese Olympic games are about shutting up, knowing your place and letting these guy collect their Coca Cola money

I wish I could wake up everyday and be as bad at my job as these guys are, yet still keep it and have their ever increasing salary.

Basically we'll all be able to watch some sports we probably don't care much about on TV for a couple of weeks

That's what gets me too. They keep pushing the olympics as a shining beacon of hope. How is watching the high jump finals at noon on a wednesday a beacon for anything?

The only thing I'm holding out for is when we can drink with our friends at a bar all night with no guilt or restrictions. Heck the games.