Roundup: a glimpse of Japanese society after the declaration of emergency

Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, April 8th Roundup: A glimpse of Japanese society after the declaration of emergency

Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Qiaomei

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued an emergency statement on the 7th to respond to the new coronavirus epidemic, announcing the state of emergency in 7 prefectures, Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Hyogo, and Fukuoka, with a validity period of May 6.

According to relevant Japanese laws, the declaration of emergency itself does not restrict residents from going out, and basic living facilities such as supermarkets, banks, and hospitals will also operate normally. However, after the declaration was issued, the governors of these seven prefectures could, according to the local epidemic situation, require residents to stop going out or suspend school, require leisure and entertainment places to close, and compulsorily requisition land and buildings. At present, specific policies in various regions have not yet been introduced.

Since the end of March, the number of confirmed cases of new coronavirus infection in Japan has grown rapidly. According to statistics from the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) TV station, as of 10:30 local time on the 8th (9:30 Beijing time), the cumulative number of diagnosed cases in Japan reached 4,472 and 98 deaths. In Tokyo, there were 144 newly diagnosed cases on the 8th, a new high in the number of confirmed diagnoses per day.

On the 8th, department stores such as Mitsukoshi Isetan Holdings, commercial facilities in the station building, movie theaters, and entertainment venues in the above-mentioned seven prefectures all closed independently. However, public transportation in Tokyo is operating as usual, and supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and hospitals are also operating as usual.

As for which industries and facilities are required to shut down, the pace of each prefecture and county is not consistent. It is reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will announce the industries and facilities required to suspend business on the 10th, but there are differences between the central government and the specific industries involved. The remaining six counties and counties said that they would not require private facilities to shut down at this stage, the reason being that "it is difficult to understand if they are not matched with compensation measures."

On the 7th, Abe urged citizens to avoid the "three secret" (closed, dense and close contact) environment as much as possible, do not go to nightclubs, karaoke halls and other entertainment venues, do not have dinners, etc., but they did not force people to go out. People can still go out shopping, go to the doctor, walk, run, etc.

The supermarkets near the reporter's residence had sufficient supplies, and there was no panic buying. The currently operating supermarkets, shops, restaurants and clinics have obviously taken some anti-epidemic measures, such as service personnel began to wear masks and gloves, opened the door to enhance air circulation, and prepared disinfectant at the entrance.

In order to ensure that the disadvantaged groups can buy the goods they need, the Japan Life Collaboration Organization "CO-OP Kobe" began to implement the opening of all 99 supermarkets in Hyogo and Osaka Prefecture on the 8th. It is only for elderly people with disabilities and persons with disabilities over 65 years old. , Maternal and nursing staff and other measures to enter the store.

April is the school season for Japanese elementary and junior high schools. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan said on the 7th that statistics as of the 6th show that 62% of public elementary and junior high schools that have started or plan to start school in the new semester account for only 11% of the 7 prefectures in emergency %. In addition, 78.9% of the national, public, and private universities, junior colleges, and higher vocational schools that have decided to postpone the start of school. Whether a county in an emergency state forces schools to suspend classes altogether depends on the next steps of these local governments.