A question that I often get is, “How is Japan handling Covid-19?”. It’s a common question, and given how popular Japan is, an expected one.
Honestly, I don’t think Japan has changed that much with the arrival of Covid-19–especially when compared to the strict lockdowns initiated by other countries. Life is pretty much business as usual here, with a few exceptions. That said, if we’re talking about the economic effects instead of how Covid-19 is being managed, then you’d see significant differences. The streets, usually teeming with foreigners, are totally bereft of tourists, and as a result, many businesses that rely on them are either struggling or closing down in droves.
Even the infamous Robot Restaurant is closed (for the time being).
But I have already covered what life is like now in Japan, so let’s leave it at that. For this post, I will talk about the measures taken by both the community and the government, with a focus on Tokyo (as that is where I live), to combat Covid-19.
I say both, because unlike many countries that bring about strict rules and measures, the Japanese government mostly relies on its people to take action against the virus. This has produced a situation where Covid-19 preventive measures vary according to location.
Here are some of the things I’ve observed thus far:
Remote work
In the past, the thought of working remotely used to be unthinkable in Japan. But as with most things, the pandemic has a way of upending old ways, even in a country that staunchly adheres to its practices. While working remotely is not as widespread as it is in other countries, it has managed to thin the typical overflowing crowds of Tokyo–and undoubtedly other major Japanese cities. In other words, Japan still has a long way to go in terms of adapting to this new norm.
I guess we’ll just have to see how much this changes in the coming months.
Masks and face shields
In Japan, it is not compulsory to wear facemasks and or face shields, so it is unsurprising that this has produced a mixed bag of results. While the vast majority, having been ingrained with the culture of mask-wearing even before the pandemic, wear them, there are those who do not. Just as you’d expect in any other country. And if not that, then they practice improper mask and or face shield-wearing. For example, masks worn with noses uncovered, face shields worn without a facemask underneath, masks worn just under the chin, etc.
There is even a tiny percentage who join the anti-mask movement (yes, there is one in Japan). One of the biggest movements from the group was when they held a “cluster festival” in Tokyo. It was not pretty.
Again, though, these people do not make up the majority. Most wear masks without fuss. Lest they get stared down at with the disapproval of a thousand suns.
Social distancing
I can’t speak for the rest of Japan, but Tokyo, at the very least, doesn’t have much social distancing. Just about wherever you go has a ton of people, and when I take the train to go to school in the morning, there is only a shoulder-length of space between every person. The morning trains on my train line are still quite full. It’s a far cry from the ideal, but an improvement from before. I still remember how dead packed the trains used to be–so much so that train station staff literally had to shove people in!
The only thing I’m thankful for in this situation is that Japanese people do not speak on the trains. That, and my afternoon train rides are always fairly empty.
Other immediately obvious instances of social distancing are the practice of placing stickers on the floor, indicating the safe amount of distance between people; and the act of limiting the number of customers at some establishments.
Online lessons
After the dramatic shut down of schools earlier this year, school activities have mostly resumed as usual. Many students attend classes physically, just as they would have pre-Covid-19. I myself have returned to physical classes, as directed by my school, but with SOPs in place. For instance, we have to send a health report to school every weekday and sanitize our hands before entering class. Masks are of course mandatory. Other schools may also have varying degrees of such measures.
If there is one group that is largely affected by this, more so than the rest of us that I can think of, it is university students. Many still have to go online for classes, with some universities even conducting 100% of their classes online resulting in students who have never even seen their teachers’ and classmates’ faces. While everyone is suffering in this scenario, I can only imagine the frustration and extreme new feeling of loneliness that this year’s intake of international students must be experiencing right now.
Hand sanitizers and temperature measurements
Hand sanitizer set out in front of a small Japanese bookshop. Photo by melissakartini
Many establishments provide hand sanitizers at the entrance. You don’t have to use them in most cases, but it is encouraged that you do.
I find this pretty handy because it helps me save a bit of money, as I do carry around hand sanitizers of my own everywhere. You can’t be too careful.
As for temperature measurements, these are a lot less common than hand sanitizers, i.e., the vast majority of businesses do not measure the temperature of their customers before allowing them in.
The abolishment of hanko
This is possibly the biggest step the Japanese government has taken post-school closures.
For those of you who aren’t aware, hanko is a type of carved stamp that is used in lieu of signatures in documents, office paperwork, contracts and the like. The use of hanko is widespread in Japan, and it is part of the reason why most Japanese companies have difficulty with transitioning to remote work. Many documents in Japan have to be personally stamped, thus making it a hard task to immediately shift everything online.
Hanko isn’t gone yet, per se, but Taro Kono of the central government has requested to abolish unnecessary hanko-procedures. This is a huge step taken towards the end of this age-old custom.
The cancellation of major events
Japan loves events. Before the pandemic hit, it seemed like there was a big event going on just about every day. Festivals, dances, cultural events, you name it. There was so much to see and do, especially during the summer which is most festivals are held. The same can no longer be said this year, because the majority of events have been cancelled.
All of a sudden, there are fewer things to look forward to. The precious plans that I had specially crafted for the year have gone up in smoke. Honestly, I have slashed more than 90% of my travel to-do list for 2020 because of this. All of the things I wanted to do and all the places I wanted to go to… I cannot cross them off my list for the time being.
It’s terrible, but there isn’t much that can be done about it.
Covid-19-safe establishments
This sign indicates that the establishment in question is “safe”. Photo by melissakartini
To set the minds of customers at ease, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has created a safety sticker that businesses can stick in front of their premises. This sign is a visual claim that the establishment is “safe” as it follows some or all of the Tokyo Disease Control Measures Guidelines for Businesses.
This guideline has two functions:
- To help prevent the spread of the coronavirus
- To help maintain socioeconomic activity
For many countries, lockdowns are no longer a viable option, so this is a nice middle road.
I do have to say, though, that even if the establishment follows guidelines, there is no guarantee that the customers would. Thus, I usually keep such visits short, and nip in and out as quickly as I can.
*Please note that this is not a comprehensive list. This is just a compilation of everyday observations, which are immediately obvious to the average person.
