Japan reaches 1.5 million Covid-19 cases since the crisis began in early 2020
Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan began in the middle of January last year. Initially, the speed of coronavirus infections was slow. However, in the last few months, the pace of infections picked up dramatically throughout Japan.
In the last ten days, new daily infection highs have come to a standstill in Tokyo. Hence, a gradual decline is happening but still high compared with the past. However, in Osaka, a new high of 3,000 daily infections occurred today for the first time. Therefore, if the latest wave isn’t managed properly, a new wave will emerge.
Deaths reported at home in several prefectures – after failing to be treated at a hospital because of bed shortages – sums up late July and August. Indeed, some cases were extremely shocking. Thus with vast numbers of people recuperating at home from coronavirus because of the shortage of hospital beds, it highlights how little was learned by the established political elites.
Lee Jay Walker says, “The former leader Shinzo Abe was more supportive concerning the coronavirus crisis. Hence, despite deaths and infections being much lower during Abe’s period, he gave all nationals 100,000 yen. Also, the Tokyo Olympics was postponed under the last prime minister.”
Yet, under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the economic angle always comes first. Henceforth, the Go-To Travel campaign was maintained longer than it should. This concerns coronavirus infections spreading to several prefectures because of the tourist incentive angle. In addition, Suga isn’t providing money payments to help people suffering from the economic convulsions of the coronavirus.
Hence, despite the Delta variant (first reported in India) being highly infectious and spreading rapidly in many nations, Suga and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike still went ahead with the Olympics – followed by the ongoing Paralympics. Therefore, changed perceptions – and other factors – meant new high infections throughout the timeframe of both sporting events.
Modern Tokyo Times recently said, “The upshot of the Olympics and Paralympics timeframe is 118,000 people recuperating at home; approximately 2,000 national severe cases; the health care system is under enormous strain; preventable home deaths; bed and equipment shortages; new daily infection highs in the majority of prefectures; and the increasing economic and psychological burden concerning the longevity of the crisis and the severity of the latest coronavirus wave.”
It is hoped that the vaccine program will succeed in the long term. Similarly, better anti-virals and future oral vaccines will emerge to ease the process. Until then, more deaths will follow, the health care system will remain under strain, mental health issues will increase, and the economic convulsions will drag more companies and people into a downward spiral.
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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