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Week 13 - Saturday - In Tokyo the virus appears to be controlled but at what price?

Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Ian and Minako - Tokyo, Japan

 We are both very well; we're doing more exercise at home now that it can be difficult to get out in this rainy season.

 

 The number of daily reported cases for Tokyo has been mostly above 50 in the last 5 days (57 on Saturday, 60 on Sunday). The average has been increasing compared to recent weeks as restrictions have been lifted. In total, there have been 325 deaths in Tokyo so far. Nationally there have been over 18,354 cases and 972 deaths.

 

 Now the restrictions on movement between prefectures have all been lifted so people are travelling further afield across Japan. The number of people coming in to downtown Tokyo is 70-80% back to normal compared to pre-Covid time. We are still expected to observe the 2-meter (6 feet) distancing wherever possible, wear masks when it is difficult to keep the distance and sanities hands frequently. This has come as a welcome relief to the tourist industry, which is suffering from there being no inbound tourists at all.

 

Even the Olympics succumbed to the virus

 Many places had planned for the 2020 Olympics to be taking place this summer, now that has been postponed those that invested in expansion have really been hit hard.  Some prefectural governments are offering financial support including special offer incentives to residents planning visits to hot springs or hotels. However, some are hesitant to welcome visitors from Tokyo and surrounding areas due to high number of infected cases.

 

 Japan’s coronavirus contact tracing smartphone app was launched last week and has 4 million downloads so far. Naturally some people are concerned about privacy and worried that their movements are monitored despite assurances that everything is anonymous and no personal data is collected. For these systems to be effective at least 60% of the population needs to download and register with the app, this seems unlikely to happen in the short term.

 

 In our own area, apart from more mask wearing than usual, it's hard to tell that there's anything unusual happening. More shops have opened up; restaurants that are spacious enough are allowing diners inside while smaller places are sticking to takeaway only for now. Local libraries now allow people to choose books to borrow from the shelves but not allowing people to stay to read or use the Internet services. Books that are returned are left untouched for 3 days before being processed. Sports facilities including swimming pools have re-opened.

 

 Last Saturday morning we enjoyed a ride on the pedalo in the park. It was so relaxing to get out into the middle of the water under the blue sky and breathe in the fresh air. It’s a treat especially during the rainy season. There are rowing boats as well but they are still out of service, I guess they're more difficult to sanitize. The boats & pedalos normally operate every weekend from late March to early November but they’ve been closed off until last week, it's great to see them back again.

 

The 'new normal' on Tokyo's commuter trains

 We took our first train ride for ages on the one sunny day that punctuated the week of rain, which also happened to be our wedding anniversary. A 16 minute ride to Shibuya at a quiet time of day and then walked to Harajuku to visit the Meiji Shrine for an outdoor trail of sculptures as part of the centenary celebrations of the shrine and its surrounding forest. This area is usually crowded with tourists but it is so empty and peaceful right now. The shrine forest is a marvelous example of a long-term eco project in the middle of a busy city centre; it seems much older than 100 years.

 

 After we got home, we saw the news that the number of infected cases had shot up to 55.  Now we are thinking of waiting for a while before the next train journey to downtown.

 

 We must think and act realistically and sensibly, keeping a close watch on the current situation regarding the spread of the virus. 

 

 It's sad to hear of some venues deciding to close permanently. Many bars in particular are so tiny – maybe only 10 or so people elbow-to-elbow at the counter – that there is no way they can survive with the requirements to keep a safe distance between customers (and between customers and staff). A small bar we like that serves simple vegan food in a nearby town has just announced that they are closing down. We were looking forward to visiting there again when things get back to normal but real normality is a long, long way off.

 

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