insights from frontier Japan

The Niseko International Clinic in the Hirafu district of the town of Kutchan in the Niseko area of central Hokkaido, has established completely private examination rooms for outpatients that have a fever. The clinic also offers free PCR tests for asymptomatic people in Hokkaido. The clinic is strengthening its response system to the COVID-19 virus as the ski season begins and the number of people visiting the resort increases.

Japan will decide Tuesday to expand a COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency to 34 of the nation's 47 prefectures with the addition of 18 more areas to stem the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

At a regular press conference on November 15, Sapporo Mayor Akimoto Katsuhiro announced that the city plans to introduce a digitalized vaccine passport (vaccination certificate) in mid-December, to prove of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. A new smartphone app will be utilized to present proof of vaccination, so that the system can be tried during the year-end party season.

October 2 saw the start of the first weekend after all COVID-19 state-of-emergency and anti-infection priority restrictions were lifted, with commercial facilities and tourist spots bustling with large numbers of visitors. “It’s been a long time,” said one of the visitors. “People can come with peace of mind,” said a representative at one of the facilities. Some tourist facilities extended opening hours as the first steps toward the co-existence of COVID measures and a thriving economy began.

The Japanese government on Tuesday formally decided to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo and 18 other prefectures, as well as the quasi-state of emergency in other areas, as infections have declined from their peak.

Japan's government decided Thursday to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency again for Tokyo and many other areas where hospitals remain stretched, while adopting a plan to ease restrictions on traveling and large events once most of the population has been vaccinated.

The addition of Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gifu, Aichi, Mie, Shiga, Okayama and Hiroshima means that 21 of Japan's 47 prefectures are now under the state of emergency that includes Tokyo and Osaka, affecting over 75 percent of the population. The measure will run from Friday to Sept. 12.

Japan expanded Monday a COVID-19 state of emergency covering the capital and Okinawa to include Osaka and three prefectures near Tokyo due to a recent spike in coronavirus cases amid fears of a medical system collapse during the Olympics.

Tokyo Olympic organizers said late Friday they have reversed their earlier decision to allow up to 10,000 spectators at daytime events on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido, a day after deciding to stage the games behind closed doors at almost all venues due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the Tokyo area. The games organizing committee said Sapporo Dome, one of the venues for men's and women's soccer, was to allow up to 10,000 people or 50 percent of its capacity, whichever is fewer, in sessions or time slots that begin during the day.