Japan bypasses Covid-19 emergency by utilizing new phrases
Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is never-ending. Despite this, the best the central government and local governments can do is to issue new phrases. Therefore, a new State of Emergency isn’t being declared to negate greater financial responsibility and to keep the unpopular Olympics on track.
New measures concerning closing restaurants at 8 pm, focusing on entertainment districts, drinking places, karaoke bars, and similar angles, will be put into force in parts of the country. Thus the regions of Kyoto, Hyogo, Miyagi, Okinawa, Osaka, and Tokyo will be allowed to introduce the usual restrictions.
In the last week, infections have increased dramatically in Osaka. Similarly, regional prefectures to Osaka are witnessing another upturn in new infections.
NHK reported yesterday, “Osaka Prefectural officials reported 905 cases on Thursday, a record number for a third consecutive day. More than 90 percent of hospital beds for serious COVID-19 patients there are occupied. The prefectural government declared a medical “red alert” on Wednesday.”
The prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama will likely join the new non-State of Emergency. These three prefectures border Tokyo. Thus with the capital witnessing a new uptake of recent infections, this seems likely.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike are fixated on holding the Olympics this year. Also, unlike under the leadership of Shinzo Abe, Suga seeks to avoid supporting people financially. Hence, the 100,000 yen provided under the leadership of Abe is far from the mind of Suga.
Overall, the same cumbersome way of dealing with coronavirus is being implemented once more.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1595/
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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