Mixed Covid-19 news in Japan: Minor testing in Tokyo

Mixed Covid-19 news in Japan: Minor testing in Tokyo

Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi

Modern Tokyo Times

Deaths from coronavirus (Covid-19) reached over 13,000 yesterday in Japan. However, with the Olympics on the horizon and major cities remaining jam-packed, the usual lack of urgency remains.

The recent focus on increasing the vaccination program in Japan – slow beyond logic – feels linked to the Olympics and internal political factors. In recent weeks, more doctors and health workers have become increasingly outspoken against the Olympics. The same applies to leading business people. Therefore, with another election on the horizon and the countdown to the Olympics in earnest, the sudden focus on the vaccination program from a point of urgency seems centered on self-preservation.

Daily coronavirus numbers released yesterday indicate positive news concerning the Kansai region. Yet, for Hokkaido and Okinawa, the opposite applies because both face high daily infections. Meanwhile, skepticism abounds in Tokyo because the low number reported isn’t surprising because less than 1,600 PCR tests were taken. Hence, the ebb and flow of coronavirus look set to continue between positive and negative announcements – with a tinge of non-transparency in Tokyo.

Lee Jay Walker says, “Patients with severe coronavirus symptoms in Japan remain high at 1,349. Likewise, the new variant from India is making some inroads in parts of the country. Despite this, the government of Japan and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike are preparing resolutely for the Olympics – irrespective if this leads to more infections, more variants, and more deaths.”

Osaka and Hyogo have been hit by high death numbers compared with Tokyo concerning confirmed people with coronavirus. Indeed, more deaths have occurred in Osaka rather than in Tokyo. Therefore, the news that daily infections are decreasing rapidly in Osaka and Hyogo is welcome.

Deaths in Hokkaido reached a new daily high of 19. Likewise, the Monday daily infection number in Okinawa reached its highest since the crisis began. Hence, a mixed picture is emerging – while Tokyo seems manipulative based on the low number of PCR tests when it suits.

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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