Mar 5, 2020, 5:17 pm
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
This thread is for discussion of the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to Japan. Non-Japan-related discussion should be taken either to the most relevant forum, the Coronavirus and Travel forum, or the OMNI forums.
UPDATE FOR TOURISTS LOOKING TO VISIT JAPAN AFTER COVID-19 BORDER RESTRICTIONS EASE
Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes. Most visa waivers are suspended, and travel to Japan for non resident foreigners generally require a visa. And quarantine as described for the countries and territories below.
UPDATE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISAS THAT ALLOW ENTRY INTO JAPAN
The quarantine requirements mentioned below will generally apply to entrants in Japan. As the conditions of who can obtain a visa for entry on exceptional circumstances are not clearly listed anywhere, it is necessary to confirm entry requirements with your local Japanese diplomatic representatives
Spouses and children of foreign permanent residents or Japanese nationals, can obtain visas for short term stays (up to 90 days) by applying in person or by mail at an overseas Japanese consulate. Required documentation includes application form, letter with reason for purpose of visit, bank statement and Koseki Tohon. Processing times have been reported as on the spot to up to one week.
From March 1st, business travelers, students and technical trainees can again enter Japan. There is a need to have a receiving organisation to apply for the visa. For business travelers, there will be one point of contact with the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare. Though the full details are not published yet (as of typing on the 27th of February, please add them if you have seen them)
Business travelers must have a Japanese company or organization apply for a Certificate for Completion of Registration to the MHLW ERFS system. This is a two step process. The company must first register and then apply for the Certificate for the traveler. These can both be done online and completed in less than an hour.The website for doing this is https://entry.hco.mhlw.go.jp/.
After getting the certificate the traveler must apply for visa at the Japanese Consulate or Embassy with jurisdiction for where they reside. (They are quite strict about this. E.g. you can't apply while traveling in a foreign country.) The information on the Consulate pages state that you need Letter of Guarantee, Invitation Letter, etc when applying for the visa. In fact, however, if you have the EFRS certificate, all you need is the visa application, your passport and a photo. The Consulate will issue the visa within 5 days.
UPDATE JAPANESE CITIZENS AND RETURNING FOREIGN JAPAN RESIDENTS
All people travelling to Japan has to present a negative PCR test taking no earlier than. 72 hours before departure to be able to board the flight. The certificate has to meet the information requirements and test types from the Japanese government.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000799426.pdf
From the 7th of June, passport number, nationality, signature and stamp from the doctor/medical institution are no longer required.
The requirement for pre-departure test will be removed for passengers on flights landing after the 7th of September 00:00 provided that they have received a full bases vaccination and a booster vaccination. Accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, Astra, Zeneca, J&J, Novavax, Covaxin.
Uploading documents in advance via the mysos app or via the mysos website is required. For details please see https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/en/
The arrival process is as follows. Countries will be grouped in red, yellow, and blue.
Red countries:
Albania, Sierra Leone
Yellow countries:
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cook Island, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Macau, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Congo, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Vanuatu, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Blue countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentine, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyz, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Western Sahara, Zambia
For updates to the lists of countries and territories and changes to the rules check the website of the ministry of foreign affairs https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html and ask in the thread for clarifications and experiences of entering Japan.
UPDATE FOR TOURISTS LOOKING TO VISIT JAPAN AFTER COVID-19 BORDER RESTRICTIONS EASE
Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes. Most visa waivers are suspended, and travel to Japan for non resident foreigners generally require a visa. And quarantine as described for the countries and territories below.
UPDATE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISAS THAT ALLOW ENTRY INTO JAPAN
The quarantine requirements mentioned below will generally apply to entrants in Japan. As the conditions of who can obtain a visa for entry on exceptional circumstances are not clearly listed anywhere, it is necessary to confirm entry requirements with your local Japanese diplomatic representatives
Spouses and children of foreign permanent residents or Japanese nationals, can obtain visas for short term stays (up to 90 days) by applying in person or by mail at an overseas Japanese consulate. Required documentation includes application form, letter with reason for purpose of visit, bank statement and Koseki Tohon. Processing times have been reported as on the spot to up to one week.
From March 1st, business travelers, students and technical trainees can again enter Japan. There is a need to have a receiving organisation to apply for the visa. For business travelers, there will be one point of contact with the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare. Though the full details are not published yet (as of typing on the 27th of February, please add them if you have seen them)
Business travelers must have a Japanese company or organization apply for a Certificate for Completion of Registration to the MHLW ERFS system. This is a two step process. The company must first register and then apply for the Certificate for the traveler. These can both be done online and completed in less than an hour.The website for doing this is https://entry.hco.mhlw.go.jp/.
After getting the certificate the traveler must apply for visa at the Japanese Consulate or Embassy with jurisdiction for where they reside. (They are quite strict about this. E.g. you can't apply while traveling in a foreign country.) The information on the Consulate pages state that you need Letter of Guarantee, Invitation Letter, etc when applying for the visa. In fact, however, if you have the EFRS certificate, all you need is the visa application, your passport and a photo. The Consulate will issue the visa within 5 days.
UPDATE JAPANESE CITIZENS AND RETURNING FOREIGN JAPAN RESIDENTS
All people travelling to Japan has to present a negative PCR test taking no earlier than. 72 hours before departure to be able to board the flight. The certificate has to meet the information requirements and test types from the Japanese government.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000799426.pdf
From the 7th of June, passport number, nationality, signature and stamp from the doctor/medical institution are no longer required.
The requirement for pre-departure test will be removed for passengers on flights landing after the 7th of September 00:00 provided that they have received a full bases vaccination and a booster vaccination. Accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, Astra, Zeneca, J&J, Novavax, Covaxin.
Uploading documents in advance via the mysos app or via the mysos website is required. For details please see https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/en/
The arrival process is as follows. Countries will be grouped in red, yellow, and blue.
- Group “Red”：On-arrival test is required. 3-day quarantine at a government-designated facility is required, however, those who obtain a valid vaccination certificate may have 5-day home quarantine (or 3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test) instead.
- Group “Yellow”：On-arrival test and 5-day home quarantine (or 3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test) are required, however, those who obtain a valid vaccination certificate are not required to have on-arrival test, home quarantine and other measures.
- Group “Blue”：Regardless of the vaccination status of the entrants/returnees, on-arrival test, home quarantine and other measures are not required.
Red countries:
Albania, Sierra Leone
Yellow countries:
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cook Island, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Macau, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Congo, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Vanuatu, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Blue countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentine, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyz, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Western Sahara, Zambia
For updates to the lists of countries and territories and changes to the rules check the website of the ministry of foreign affairs https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html and ask in the thread for clarifications and experiences of entering Japan.
Coronavirus impact in Japan [consolidated]
Jun 8, 2020, 9:13 am
#2026
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
Actually if you listen to Bill Gates he talks about "bogus testing"
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/...n-hall-vpx.cnn
He mentions that meaningful testing also depends on who is being tested. Rich vs poor. You can test that deliveryman who goes to the rich neighborhoods every single day and have lots of tests, but it doesn't have the same significance as testing a sampling of the population.
I don't know how Japan tested.
China has very high testing rates but if you look at the recent Wuhan test where they tested the whole city they found only 300 cases. Out of 10 million. A lot of wasted tests, though given Wuhan people are treated like lepers in China you cannot do too much to try to reduce the fear of them.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/...n-hall-vpx.cnn
He mentions that meaningful testing also depends on who is being tested. Rich vs poor. You can test that deliveryman who goes to the rich neighborhoods every single day and have lots of tests, but it doesn't have the same significance as testing a sampling of the population.
I don't know how Japan tested.
China has very high testing rates but if you look at the recent Wuhan test where they tested the whole city they found only 300 cases. Out of 10 million. A lot of wasted tests, though given Wuhan people are treated like lepers in China you cannot do too much to try to reduce the fear of them.
- Delays in receiving test results. Gates talks about the need to provide results in time for people to act on them. In Japan there are long delays to get tested and receive results. Perhaps Japanese people are more inclined to modify their behavior even without a test result. Even so, quicker, more easily accessible tests would be an improvement here.
- Disparities in availability of testing based on wealth. This issue might be worse in the US than in other developed countries. I think that the allocation of tests in Japan has been primarily decided by public health strategy, not by wealth and connections. Many of us are unhappy with Japan's apparently limited testing capacity, but it looks like it has been adequate to manage outbreaks as they have occurred.
BTW, Gates does not mention sampling of the population. He does say that low income people should have equal access to testing, based on criteria that ensure that the scarce testing resources are allocated to save lives and find out if we're doing the right things.
I wonder what Bill Gates would highlight if he were talking about Japan's approach to this pandemic. Do you think he would predict with 100% certainty that Japan is doomed?
Jun 8, 2020, 10:10 am
#2027
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
1. Agree with MJM. Japan is the best place to be. Low risk of infection, comfortable life style, no mandated restrictions, ok medical care if you do get sick.
2. Government action (or lack thereof) has little impact on the course of disease.
3. Universal BCG vaccinations have a high negative correlation with incidence and mortality. The latest and best research so far is.... https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....20.20107755v1
2. Government action (or lack thereof) has little impact on the course of disease.
3. Universal BCG vaccinations have a high negative correlation with incidence and mortality. The latest and best research so far is.... https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....20.20107755v1
Sooner or later governments around the world will realize that COVID is highly contagious but the mortality rate is only about 1%. For healthy people under 60, there is very little risk. It is absurd to close the city or country once the virus is largely under control. The virus will be with us for a long time.
Jun 8, 2020, 12:43 pm
#2028
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Japan is in a somewhat different situation with regard to the two testing-related issues that Gates points to in the US:
BTW, Gates does not mention sampling of the population. He does say that low income people should have equal access to testing, based on criteria that ensure that the scarce testing resources are allocated to save lives and find out if we're doing the right things.
I wonder what Bill Gates would highlight if he were talking about Japan's approach to this pandemic. Do you think he would predict with 100% certainty that Japan is doomed?
- Delays in receiving test results. Gates talks about the need to provide results in time for people to act on them. In Japan there are long delays to get tested and receive results. Perhaps Japanese people are more inclined to modify their behavior even without a test result. Even so, quicker, more easily accessible tests would be an improvement here.
- Disparities in availability of testing based on wealth. This issue might be worse in the US than in other developed countries. I think that the allocation of tests in Japan has been primarily decided by public health strategy, not by wealth and connections. Many of us are unhappy with Japan's apparently limited testing capacity, but it looks like it has been adequate to manage outbreaks as they have occurred.
BTW, Gates does not mention sampling of the population. He does say that low income people should have equal access to testing, based on criteria that ensure that the scarce testing resources are allocated to save lives and find out if we're doing the right things.
I wonder what Bill Gates would highlight if he were talking about Japan's approach to this pandemic. Do you think he would predict with 100% certainty that Japan is doomed?
Yes, Bill Gates didn't mention sampling. I don't know that there has been a good sampling strategy developed for testing yet.
Are Japanese people more inclined to modify their behavior after they got a test? At the airport they have no choice but to wait there if they have no person to come pick them up, which is hard because most people in Tokyo don't have a car. Whether or not it is humane to force people to wait at an airport (I know of no other country that does that, make people stay in cardboard boxes, the same ones homeless people in Japan sleep in) I guess is your call. So Japan has no power to enforce anything related to isolation/quarantine but has the power to make you sleep on the ground in the airport, not letting you leave?
The number of cases, etc, aren't easily obtained currently. Even in countries that have a lot of testing it is hard to tell (excepting Wuhan, China). Death rates are harder to hide, AFAICT, though I don't know the details in Japan about how they collect that information. Though given that the coronavirus may have long-lasting sequelae there may be a difference in the upcoming years/decades of places that truly had low rates versus ones that just said they have low rates For example Turkmenistan says they have no cases. Who knows?
Jun 8, 2020, 7:48 pm
#2029
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,149
18% of tourism. Which is 7.4% of GDP, so a couple of percent of GDP all-in. I'd say Japan could well keep all foreign tourists out without major damage to its economy in the aggregate. And maybe it should.
Jun 8, 2020, 8:03 pm
#2030
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
For those that are here in Japan and able, no better time to book a few nights over the next few months in your favourite de-touristed area.
Jun 8, 2020, 8:09 pm
#2031
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
Indeed, rates are insanely cheap. And there are few people anywhere, occupancy is (still) low, just climbing. And Japan isn’t cheap like the US, so lounges and so on are not closed (Marriott Fuji Yamanakako lets you take whatever you want from the lounge and take it to your room ... as many times as you want!). Good time to contribute to that 82%.
Jun 8, 2020, 9:03 pm
#2032
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
The greater challenge may be with mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers. if testing were available on demand for a modest fee, as is the case in Korea, I believe that Japan would have greater success at containing outbreaks. For example, one focus of outbreaks in Tokyo appears to be the Shinjuku adult entertainment area. Walk-in testing clinics in that area could be valuable in interrupting chains of transmission among young carriers who may only have mild symptoms.
With regard to the cardboard sleeping platforms, they're purpose designed kits for emergences. They're what local authorities provide to people who are evacuated to community halls etc. during typhoons or after earthquakes. They allow an untested person to have a hygienic space to sleep, raised off the floor with the bedding provided. They don't offer much privacy and the lights are on all night, but if you have an eye mask and you aren't troubled by sleeping on a lie-flat seat with a small partition around it, you will be fine.
The number of cases, etc, aren't easily obtained currently. Even in countries that have a lot of testing it is hard to tell (excepting Wuhan, China). Death rates are harder to hide, AFAICT, though I don't know the details in Japan about how they collect that information. Though given that the coronavirus may have long-lasting sequelae there may be a difference in the upcoming years/decades of places that truly had low rates versus ones that just said they have low rates For example Turkmenistan says they have no cases. Who knows?
Last edited by armagebedar; Jun 9, 2020 at 10:14 pm Reason: removed quote of and reply to deleted post
Jun 8, 2020, 11:28 pm
#2033
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
[QUOTE=jib71;32441218]Japan, like all countries, has limited testing capacity. Japan has allocated this capacity based on public health criteria.
[QUOTE]
Japan seems to have the least amount of testing available for a country in Asia. Is there any country its size that has less testing? It seemed to many of us that Japan didn't test cause they still wanted the Olympics to go on.
Is it fine to force people to stay in hostels or dormitories?
I find it ironic that Japan holds people in the airport, who actually haven't tested positive, and does nothing with people who did test positive and want to spread it to the world.
"While waiting to be brought to the beds, one woman told an officer that someone was coughing badly, Matsuoka said. But the officer said that they were not required to do anything as the individual had already passed the health check."
Whether or not it is hygienic depends on whether or not you believe transmission can be aerosolized. It is one big open room basically people are sleeping in. I presume you use the same bathrooms.
Singapore sends them to hotels. Vietnam, which is a lot poorer, provide them places to stay. And Japan?
[QUOTE]
Japan seems to have the least amount of testing available for a country in Asia. Is there any country its size that has less testing? It seemed to many of us that Japan didn't test cause they still wanted the Olympics to go on.
What aspect do you consider inhumane? Are you concerned about the control of people's movements or about the quality of the accommodation.
With regard to the cardboard sleeping platforms, they're purpose designed kits for emergences. They're what local authorities provide to people who are evacuated to community halls etc. during typhoons or after earthquakes. They allow an untested person to have a hygienic space to sleep, raised off the floor with the bedding provided. They don't offer much privacy and the lights are on all night, but if you have an eye mask and you aren't troubled by sleeping on a lie-flat seat with a small partition around it, you will be fine.
With regard to the cardboard sleeping platforms, they're purpose designed kits for emergences. They're what local authorities provide to people who are evacuated to community halls etc. during typhoons or after earthquakes. They allow an untested person to have a hygienic space to sleep, raised off the floor with the bedding provided. They don't offer much privacy and the lights are on all night, but if you have an eye mask and you aren't troubled by sleeping on a lie-flat seat with a small partition around it, you will be fine.
I find it ironic that Japan holds people in the airport, who actually haven't tested positive, and does nothing with people who did test positive and want to spread it to the world.
"While waiting to be brought to the beds, one woman told an officer that someone was coughing badly, Matsuoka said. But the officer said that they were not required to do anything as the individual had already passed the health check."
Whether or not it is hygienic depends on whether or not you believe transmission can be aerosolized. It is one big open room basically people are sleeping in. I presume you use the same bathrooms.
Singapore sends them to hotels. Vietnam, which is a lot poorer, provide them places to stay. And Japan?
Jun 9, 2020, 12:45 am
#2034
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
Japan seems to have the least amount of testing available for a country in Asia. Is there any country its size that has less testing? It seemed to many of us that Japan didn't test cause they still wanted the Olympics to go on.
Is it fine to force people to stay in hostels or dormitories?
I find it ironic that Japan holds people in the airport, who actually haven't tested positive, and does nothing with people who did test positive and want to spread it to the world.
"While waiting to be brought to the beds, one woman told an officer that someone was coughing badly, Matsuoka said. But the officer said that they were not required to do anything as the individual had already passed the health check."
Whether or not it is hygienic depends on whether or not you believe transmission can be aerosolized. It is one big open room basically people are sleeping in. I presume you use the same bathrooms.
Singapore sends them to hotels. Vietnam, which is a lot poorer, provide them places to stay. And Japan?
Is it fine to force people to stay in hostels or dormitories?
I find it ironic that Japan holds people in the airport, who actually haven't tested positive, and does nothing with people who did test positive and want to spread it to the world.
"While waiting to be brought to the beds, one woman told an officer that someone was coughing badly, Matsuoka said. But the officer said that they were not required to do anything as the individual had already passed the health check."
Whether or not it is hygienic depends on whether or not you believe transmission can be aerosolized. It is one big open room basically people are sleeping in. I presume you use the same bathrooms.
Singapore sends them to hotels. Vietnam, which is a lot poorer, provide them places to stay. And Japan?
Jun 9, 2020, 1:08 am
#2035
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,376
As time went on (and we still don't know all the truths), it became apparent that there were multiple factors involved. But I really don't think they were actively scheming to keep the stats low for the sake of the Olympics.
I think what happened was:
-- Jpn has been lagging way behind other countries when it came to genetic testing.
-- Jpn has history of having very low bars for admitting patients to hospitals.
-- Not eager to own up to the fact that they're third rate when it comes to genetic testing, they decided to address the above 2 facts with a public stance that more testing was not the right approach because Coronavirus would then overwhelm healthcare.
-- Instead of mass testing for which they had no capacity, they decided to instead take the approach of identifying and containing clusters.
-- As Jpn seemed successful early on in stemming rapid Covid spread, the cluster buster strategy won praises.
-- Cluster buster strategy started failing with the second wave, where majority of new cases were no longer traceable to known origins/clusters.
-- Meanwhile, Jpn should've been striving to ramp up testing capacity. But they remained lackadaisical about this and the testing capacity was well short of needs/demand.
-- Also factoring in was severe staff shortage at hokenjos (public health centers) which were gatekeepers to majority of PCR tests.
-- Jpn's Covid situation really settled down nicely after the State of Emergency was called and more things closed and more people stayed home... lack of testing notwithstanding. For good or bad, this sort of vindicated those who have maintained that testing is not crucial in Jpn.
Jun 9, 2020, 3:58 am
#2036
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
Reset my MyNumber passwords (because I forgot them when I set them up years ago) at city hall the other day, and put my application in online just last night. I was incredibly surprised at how smooth the process was, and how polished the web portal was compared to how I usually expect interfacing with government websites to go (looking at you, IRS).
https://japan.cnet.com/article/35153468/
The deadline to submit applications is August 18th (Tues). Don't miss it.
Jun 9, 2020, 5:27 am
#2037
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,394
Tokyo 2020 to Use Recyclable Cardboard Frames for Athletes' Beds in Olympic and Paralympic Games
Jun 9, 2020, 6:07 am
#2038
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: JMB
Posts: 132
I don't think Japanese goverment will be impressed but just to mention it...
"Japan's ongoing entry ban for foreigners due to the corona virus threatens to put a strain on German-Japanese economic relations. "If Japan does not open its borders again soon, this will have a significant impact on the recovery of the Japanese economy," warned Marcus Schürmann, delegate of the German economy and managing director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan on Tuesday. According to a recent survey by the German Chamber of Commerce in Japan (AHK Japan), 78 percent of companies viewed Japan's entry ban as "a significant burden on their business".
Japan had lifted the national corona emergency at the end of May. However, it is not foreseeable when the travel restrictions for foreigners will be lifted. The entry ban includes foreigners with permanent residence status and long-term visa holders, including their spouses and family members. Japanese citizens, on the other hand, are free to travel abroad. "We therefore ask the Japanese government to reopen the borders to foreign visitors in an appropriate manner," said Schürmann."
"Japan's ongoing entry ban for foreigners due to the corona virus threatens to put a strain on German-Japanese economic relations. "If Japan does not open its borders again soon, this will have a significant impact on the recovery of the Japanese economy," warned Marcus Schürmann, delegate of the German economy and managing director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan on Tuesday. According to a recent survey by the German Chamber of Commerce in Japan (AHK Japan), 78 percent of companies viewed Japan's entry ban as "a significant burden on their business".
Japan had lifted the national corona emergency at the end of May. However, it is not foreseeable when the travel restrictions for foreigners will be lifted. The entry ban includes foreigners with permanent residence status and long-term visa holders, including their spouses and family members. Japanese citizens, on the other hand, are free to travel abroad. "We therefore ask the Japanese government to reopen the borders to foreign visitors in an appropriate manner," said Schürmann."
Jun 9, 2020, 9:10 am
#2039
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,379
Jun 9, 2020, 10:16 pm
#2040
Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGP (OWE), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE
Posts: 3,908
Two off-topic derails removed. Please stay on topic.
Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator
Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator