Tokyo News: New Covid-19 daily high in Tokyo but Christmas shopping is in demand
Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida
Modern Tokyo News
Tokyo once more set a new daily high for new coronavirus (Covid-19) infections. Despite the new high of 888 new infections, shopping centers from Ebisu to Ikebukuro – and from Ginza to Omotesando – were extremely busy. This notably applies to the usual Christmas cake frenzy on Christmas Eve.
In other words, the surreal nature of coronavirus in Tokyo continues unabated and the same applies to other major cities in Japan. Hence, busy trains during working rush hour and normality apart from the vast majority of people wearing face masks and other minor areas.
Similarly, the usual mantra uttered by Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, continues. Thus unlike the earlier state of emergency on lower numbers of coronavirus cases, this time the economic angle is a clear first.
Other negative daily coronavirus highs continue throughout the country. For example, in recent days new daily highs include the death figure of 56 and national new cases reaching 3,270. However, the leader of Japan, just like the leader of Tokyo, seems content with focusing on economics and grand schemes outside the coronavirus crisis.
Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama all share borders with Tokyo – and like Koike – the local government leaders are requesting people to keep face masks on even at home during the New Year period. This applies to households with elderly citizens and homes with vulnerable people.
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times) says, “However, in truth, it highlights the focus on cost-effective measures with little economic outlays. Indeed, it also highlights that the central government and Tokyo local government have accepted a steady increase in deaths and infections, in the hope that it will blow over naturally.”
In other words, the surreal nature of coronavirus in Tokyo is summed up by the new daily infection high and a brisk trade in Christmas cakes.
https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/ – Tokyo Metropolitan Government website for updates about the coronavirus crisis in Tokyo.
https://toyokeizai.net/sp/visual/tko/covid19/en.html – Japan and Tokyo Covid-19 news with more analysis
https://covid19japan.com/ – Japan regional coronavirus statistics
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ World coronavirus statistics
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