“Unsatisfied if we meet” New Coronavirus Anxiety to recruit… March 2 21:26

"Ah, no ..."
A woman who came to the grocery store lamented. Nothing is usually overflowing on the shelves. Not only masks that are in short supply, but also many other items are now missing from stores. Experts pointed out "anxiety about the unknown."
And I remembered a poet's words. (Reporter Yoshiyuki Kori, Hiromi Akimoto, Network Press)

I went to the supermarket I usually use.
As you walk through the store, empty shelves are everywhere ...

It wasn't just the masks that had been running short of goods and the toilet paper that had been rushing to buy since last weekend.

"Oh, no ..."

First, “cup noodles”.
Some products were completely sold out.
“Canning” also has no mackerel boiled in water or miso.

Not only can it be stored for a long time, but there is no “drinking water” in a large plastic bottle.
At the time of the earthquake, drinking water was suddenly lost due to concerns about the nuclear accident,
This time it is "sold out" while water is coming out of the tap water as usual.

According to what I heard around me, some shops said that the staple food “rice” was scarce.

And “Mentuyu” “Dried noodles” “Okaki” “Meat” “Sweets” “Curry of retort” ... various foods were sold out or the number of items was extremely low.

"Ah, no ..."
A woman who came to the store made a voice similar to a passing sigh.

There's rice

In fact, are the items missing?

Close to supermarkets, shopping street No. 10 in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
A well-established rice shop that has been operating for nearly 100 years has answered the interview.

When you enter the store, there are lots of rice.
"What is it?"
I was a little relieved at the same scene as usual.

It's in stock

According to the owner's wife, Minoru Shiga, the number of people coming here to buy rice suddenly began to increase from around 28th of last month.
But ...

Shiga: "Once or twice a week, rice is properly received from a wholesaler. There is no problem with the supply."

It seems that it was not even at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Mr. Shiga: "Why is this happening even though there is no problem with the amount of procurement ..."

Even if we covered other foods, the situation was the same everywhere.

Japan Instant Food Industry Association "There was a temporary increase in consumption, but there is no problem with the production and supply system."
Japan Canned Bottled Retort Food Association "In this case, there will be a temporary shortage of supplies, but supply will not be interrupted."

Experts Understand Two Keywords

An expert explained this situation in terms of "agenda setting" and "spotlight effect."

I am a professor of information social psychology, Professor Yoshiaki Hashimoto of the University of Tokyo.

"Agenda setting"

Professor Hashimoto: "If there is information that there is no OO, it will be confusing or collective excitement. It is like a light hypnosis that you have to buy."
"The idea of ​​securing rice and other things that are important to our lives to protect our families works and leads to action."
"Furthermore, when I say" Agenda setting "and see the empty lines and shelves in the press, I realize that it is the biggest concern of the people in the world. I will take it. ''

"Spotlight effect"

Professor Hashimoto: "SNS is also greatly affected at the moment. If the information about missing things comes in one after another from a close person, the accuracy of the information, whether correct or not, will increase in myself." "Spotlight effects mean that shortages seem to have happened in one store at first, as if they were happening all over Japan. As a result, a vicious cycle of running a lot of purchases was the result. think"

Such a confession to SNS

As Hashimoto pointed out, posts were posted on Twitter.

Twitter post: “I was out of stock for a moment from a supermarket near my home, and I felt a frightening fear.
"I also stocked up. Even if I knew it was a hoax, I wouldn't be able to buy it when I wanted it.

I know it's a hoax

Hashimoto says that while there are hoards, few people believe in hoaxes.

Professor Hashimoto: "Many people say," I know it's a hoax. "" I know there's enough stock. "
"The most important thing is you and your family, and it's the human defense instinct that is selfish to protect this. I know but I buy it."

What should I do?

What should we do to eliminate this situation?
Professor Hashimoto believes that "correct information disclosure" and "caring feelings" are necessary.

Prof. Hashimoto: "Companies should disclose as much information as possible, such as the arrival schedule and inventory status, and I think it is effective to use visible devices such as writing on product shelves at stores."
"What we can do personally is calm down, imagine and be conscious of people who are really in trouble, and have a heart of helping each other."

Anxiety about the unknown ...

Professor Tadahiro Motoyoshi of Kansai University, who is well-versed in disaster psychology, points out that social unrest about the unknown has increased, and that psychology to work at ease is working.

Motoyoshi: "If there is something unknown to people, such as a nuclear accident or a new virus, I feel more terrified."
"As a result, the psychology of trying to do as much as you can and doing as much as you can, and that's why you want to be a little more secure, has become a hoard."

“If it fits together, it ’s all right”

What I learned through interviews was that, even if the store temporarily ran out of products, it wasn't short.

With the dangers of an invisible virus, people are anxious and have a desire to buy something important to protect them.

But suddenly, such words came up.

"If it's not good enough, it's not enough."

This is a passage from the poet and calligrapher Mitsui Aida's work, "Well, if it works."

That's one of the new countermeasures against coronavirus.