Japan has fully come out of a state of emergency for the first time in more than six months, as the nation started to gradually ease COVID-19 measures to help rejuvenate the pandemic-hit economy.
At Tokyo’s busy Shinagawa train station, a sea of mask-wearing commuters yesterday rushed to their work, despite an approaching typhoon, with some returning to their offices after months of remote work.
The emergency measures, in place for more than half of the country, including Tokyo, ended on Thursday following a steady fall in new caseloads over the past few weeks, helping to ease pressure on Japanese health care systems.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga thanked the people for their patience and cooperation, and asked them to stick to their basic anti-virus measures.
“Once again, I seek your cooperation so that we can return to our daily lives feeling safe,” he said.
The lifting of the emergency marked a fresh start for some people.
Office worker Akifumi Sugihara, 46, said he is back to the train station for the first time in about a year.
“I had been working from home for more than a year, and I came to the office in Tokyo as [the emergency] was lifted today,” he said. “It’s really been a while. I feel it’s a new start.”
Another office worker, Kaori Hayashi, 37, said it was an ordinary Friday.
“In my mind nothing really has changed,” she said. “We still need to be careful. I will stay vigilant and carry on my life as usual.”
Japan is eager to expand social and economic activities while balancing the need to prevent another wave of infections as the weather turns cooler.
Officials say the government still needs time to create more temporary COVID-19 treatment facilities and continue vaccinations to prepare for any future resurgence.
The emergency measures have mainly involved requests for eateries to curb alcohol and hours. They can now serve alcohol and operate an hour longer, but still have to close at 9pm.
As of Wednesday, daily reported cases had fallen below 1,600 nationwide — less than one-10th of the peak in the middle of August of about 25,000. Experts attributed the declining numbers to the progress of vaccinations and to people increasing their social distancing efforts after being alarmed by the collapse of medical systems during the summer.
Nearly more than 59 percent of Japanese people have been fully vaccinated. Japan had about 1.69 million cases and 17,641 deaths from COVID-19.
In related news, a powerful typhoon yesterday pounded the nation some of its eastern islands with gusts and downpours of rain, grounding some domestic flights and halting trains. The Tokyo area was getting heavy rain and blowing wind at midday, but no injuries have been reported.
Typhoon Mindulle was near one of the Izu Islands off Tokyo’s southern coast, moving northeast at about 35kph and packing winds of up to 162kph, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Some local train services in Chiba and other prefectures east of Tokyo were yesterday temporarily suspended. Several flights and ferries connecting Tokyo’s Haneda airport and outer islands have been canceled.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters that no damages or injuries had been reported so far. He urged Izu islanders to stay indoors and avoid going near glass windows until the typhoon passes.
Rain up to 200mm were forecast on the Izu Island and 150mm in to Tokyo region by morning today.
The meteorological agency warned residents in the affected areas of possible flooding and mudslides.
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