insights from frontier Japan

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.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government decided Thursday to place Tokyo under a fresh COVID-19 state of emergency for the duration of the Olympics in an effort to curb a recent surge in infections. The measure, to be effective from Monday to Aug. 22, will see the Summer Games held without spectators at venues in and around the capital, dealing another blow to the event that was postponed by one year due to the pandemic.

The Japanese government decided Thursday to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency in Tokyo and eight other prefectures, while keeping some restrictions amid concern about a rebound in infections with a little more than a month until the Tokyo Olympics. In addition to the capital, the state of emergency will end on Sunday in Hokkaido, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.

Accommodation and tourist facilities in the leading central Hokkaido hot-spring resorts of Noboribetsu and Toyako Onsen continue to close in response to the declaration of a state of emergency, issued as a result of the spread of infections from the Covid-19 virus. The Hokkaido government has not issued requests for businesses to suspend their operations but those concerned are disheartened, saying “If a state of emergency is declared, the number of customers decreases so we’re compelled to close”.