Current Events > I live in Japan and nobody is taking Corona seriously.

(+) Yeah! (+)

So after the Olympics got postponed, suddenly Corona numbers shot up in Tokyo, and rose more every day. There was no lockdown. Legally Japan can not order a lockdown. It took weeks for a state of emergency to be declared for certain prefectures. The subways are still packed, trains are still packed, salarymen still go out.

the governments first major decision was to send two masks to each family. Everybody laughed. Actually, that was the second idea. The first idea, which never happened, was to send wagyu beef to each family. They laughed at that as well. Now they are discussing stimulus options. Foreigners get screwed because only very specific ones get it, and they need to be required to speak an unspecified amount of Japanese. Remember, Japan was also desperate to get foreigners into Japan to fix their failed work force due to underpopulation.

My hometown recently got several infections. The way the news reported it, was that they travelled to Kyoto. They got it at a specific spot and didnt transfer it to anyone else, and went nowhere it could be transferred. Except one guy rode in a taxi, which they claimed to clean, but that is sketchy. One case was a salaryman who spread it to his wife and ten year old daughter. I winder where a salaryman and a ten year old girl could have gone before thye knew where they were infected? Logic would say school and work, bars, etc, but nah, dont mention that.

Even if you imagine all these people were completely safe, we still have the problem of people not isolating. This country doesnt have much set up for online courses. I encouraged my boss to set up online systems with what little we had, and we are making do, but others are struggling. I learned that many people here dont even have email addresses. Outside of robotics, Japan is very behind the times with technology, and remain at the office rather than changing. Some companies were brave enough to start doing delivery, takeout, online courses, etc. Good on them.

Then you just have the people who literally dont do anything until their leader tells them to. Or people who close their eyes to problems. The numbers rise in Tokyo every day. One of our biggest celebrities in modern history died. They said he was i credibly unhealthy anyway, so it was coming.

My best friend has been going out to restaurants and book stores when there have been known cases in their area. Her kids still go to daycare. She says I think and worry too much.

i watched my home country get wrecked by this virus, and now im watching my current country closing their eyes and saying lalalala. I hope the outside world knows how bad Japan is fumbling this, because citizens here dont care to believe it.

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They will only take it seriously if a lot of people start dying. If it doesnt happen, then its business as usual. Either way, I dont trust numbers coming out of some of these countries. Even the US, which I think is reporting better than most, doesnt have accurate numbers because there are so few tests done.

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Lorenzo_2003 posted...

They will only take it seriously if a lot of people start dying. If it doesnt happen, then its business as usual. Either way, I dont trust numbers coming out of some of these countries. Even the US, which I think is reporting better than most, doesnt have accurate numbers because there are so few tests done.

Lots of people have started dying
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Lorenzo_2003 posted...

They will only take it seriously if a lot of people start dying. If it doesnt happen, then its business as usual. Either way, I dont trust numbers coming out of some of these countries. Even the US, which I think is reporting better than most, doesnt have accurate numbers because there are so few tests done.

They encourage people here not to go to the hospital. And yes, people are dying here.

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Oh well
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UnfairRepresent posted...

Lots of people have started dying

I guess the Japanese dont consider 108 deaths (at this time) to be that much. Their families most likely do, but its not enough for everyone else there to care. For their sake, I hope it doesnt get worse.

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Lorenzo_2003 posted...

I guess the Japanese dont consider 108 deaths (at this time) to be that much. Their families most likely do, but its not enough for everyone else there to care. For their sake, I hope it doesnt get worse.

because it isnt happening to them. Its like living in one of those movies where the guy knows a disaster is coming, but nobody listens,

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tag

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Japan is also the country that use kamikaze warfare traditions.

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Kolibri X posted...

In America, we have healthy men in their 20s and 30s, the prime of their lives, hiding in their homes with painters masks and dish washing gloves, excessively washing their hands afraid to leave their homes. They don't make men like they use to anymore. Not here anyway. This will blow over eventually and you guys will be fine.

This is such a stupid fucking post.

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_____Cait posted...

because it isnt happening to them. Its like living in one of those movies where the guy knows a disaster is coming, but nobody listens,

Well, friend, I wish it wasnt like that. I wish people would take this crisis more seriously. Perhaps most people do and its just the few that are endangering others. Of course, the governments of various countries must shoulder the blame and now responsibility for protecting people.

Anyway, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe.

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Feline_Heart posted...

This is such a stupid fucking post.

Really? I would love to hear why.

Just kidding. Shut the fuck up.

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Thats a shame. I was hoping theyd be like South Korea and crack down on it hard but guess theyre more influenced by the US.

Kolibri X posted...

Really? I would love to hear why.

Just kidding. Shut the fuck up.

lol, how'd that turn out for ya?

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Kolibri X posted...

Really? I would love to hear why.

Just kidding. Shut the fuck up.

WOW a 5000+ account actually got modded AND warned??? That that post was tame compared to some of this shit these old heads spew on the politics and system boards
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I mean I live in Japan too and although I wish many took it more seriously no one is definitely not correct. My work place is becoming ridiculous with regulations. We can't have more than one person in a room at a time. No eating together. Windows open, air exchange on, wear a mask when out of the office. Wash hands every hour. Of course not going to work is unthinkable so...

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zado19 posted...

WOW a 5000+ account actually got modded AND warned??? That that post was tame compared to some of this shit these old heads spew on the politics and system boards

Damn, that was fast. I didnt expect that to get modded either with all the viler stuff thats up. Im impressed with them for once.

Anime is too important man. Japan's gotta survive!

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02fran posted...

Damn, that was fast. I didnt expect that to get modded either with all the viler stuff thats up. Im impressed with them for once.

That surprised me too

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On an unrelated note, do people in Japan want to be salarymen? Like is that a goal for a lot of people? Cause it seems terrible

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ssjevot posted...

I mean I live in Japan too and although I wish many took it more seriously no one is definitely not correct. My work place is becoming ridiculous with regulations. We can't have more than one person in a room at a time. No eating together. Windows open, air exchange on, wear a mask when out of the office. Wash hands every hour. Of course not going to work is unthinkable so...

where do you live?

im hearing from friends in Yonezawa that it is safe.

Hamamatsu is kind of taking measures by closing some pharmacies early, but people are still running around and playing, with no masks.

okinawa friend says there is no corona in their area, which i have no idea if it is true or not.

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Colorahdo posted...

On an unrelated note, do people in Japan want to be salarymen? Like is that a goal for a lot of people? Cause it seems terrible

It seems to be the order of things, but more people are becoming ambitious and breaking trends.

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_____Cait posted...

where do you live?

im hearing from friends in Yonezawa that it is safe.

Hamamatsu is kind of taking measures by closing some pharmacies early, but people are still running around and playing, with no masks.

okinawa friend says there is no corona in their area, which i have no idea if it is true or not.

I'm in Kochi-ken. We haven't had a state of emergency declared but there are infected people here. In January I was in Wuhan, trapped in the lockdown, did evacuation flight to the US, two weeks quarantine at an air force base. Got back to Japan finally late February, then everything kept getting stricter and stricter at work and it just feels like this shit will never end. My fiancee is still trapped in Wuhan because although she has a valid work visa for Japan she isn't a citizen so she can't return yet.

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ssjevot posted...

I'm in Kochi-ken. We haven't had a state of emergency declared but there are infected people here. In January I was in Wuhan, trapped in the lockdown, did evacuation flight to the US, two weeks quarantine at an air force base. Got back to Japan finally late February, then everything kept getting stricter and stricter at work and it just feels like this shit will never end. My fiancee is still trapped in Wuhan because although she has a valid work visa for Japan she isn't a citizen so she can't return yet.

whoa, i used to live in Kochi! Small town called Kagami. Do you know Yumi Yamamoto? She is a renowned do tor there. Small town called Gomen?

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Colorahdo posted...

On an unrelated note, do people in Japan want to be salarymen? Like is that a goal for a lot of people? Cause it seems terrible

Honestly we don't use that term really. More so "shakaijin" is used although the meaning is broader. And I kind of enjoy the lifestyle myself. I mean it sucks now because all the drinking parties are on hold for who knows how long, but we also have nothing to do and my boss is actually leaving early so that's cool. That said as a research professor my lifestyle is freer than most, but not so different (suits, business cards, long polite e-mails in formal Japanese, endless social events, "working" until after the boss leaves, etc.).

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Japan is carried by their elderly more so then any other country, so you'd think a virus that kills them disproportionately would be of a much higher concern to them.

More so becuase many of the younger generation either arent having children or have gone MGTOW.

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Nobody is taking it seriously because they want the Olympics. Duh. Now that they have official confirmation, they may start taking it seriously.

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_____Cait posted...

whoa, i used to live in Kochi! Small town called Kagami. Do you know Yumi Yamamoto? She is a renowned do tor there, she seems to know whats going on. Think she lives in Gomen, I keep in touch with her, and she says she would not recommend things like travel.

I pass through Gomen every day on my commute. I do train and bike rather than a bus, but the bike parking rental honestly costs as much as a bus... I don't know her, but my work already banned travel, so that's not an issue.

But honestly the odds of me not having been exposed by now are so high it's just not something I worry about. I like had it asymptomatically. I was never tested in China or America, at the time the CDC wasn't taking it seriously and told all of us in quarantine we didn't need masks and we could hang out in groups. The head CDC guy there never even wore a mask. I randomly met a Japanese/American dual citizen with a Chinese wife in quarantine though. Only other person I have met besides myself and my fiancee who speaks English, Japanese, and Chinese.

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ssjevot posted...

I pass through Gomen every day on my commute. I do train and bike rather than a bus, but the bike parking rental honestly costs as much as a bus... I don't know her, but my work already banned travel, so that's not an issue.

But honestly the odds of me not having been exposed by now are so high it's just not something I worry about. I like had it asymptomatically. I was never tested in China or America, at the time the CDC wasn't taking it seriously and told all of us in quarantine we didn't need masks and we could hang out in groups. The head CDC guy there never even wore a mask. I randomly met a Japanese/American dual citizen with a Chinese wife in quarantine though. Only other person I have met besides myself and my fiancee who speaks English, Japanese, and Chinese.

japanese/amrican dual citizen? I thought that wasnt possible? You mean he is just on a visa?

but yeah, I assume I have it as well. I literally only go out for groceries and the occasional quick walk to keep from going crazy. I always wear a mask and try not to touch anything.

saw a family with kids running around the store. No masks or anything. I, really at a loss.

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_____Cait posted...

japanese/amrican dual citizen? I thought that wasnt possible? You mean he is just on a visa?

Nope it's quite possible and not even that rare. Japan says you can't be a dual citizen on paper, but much like this lockdown has absolutely no legal enforcement. If I were to get Japanese citizenship I would likely do the same. My fiancee though would happily get rid of her Chinese citizenship but the odds of them recognizing that aren't good. They gave many Chinese people with US citizenship a hard time about taking the evacuation flight from Wuhan. The whole situation was awful, I never want to go back, but work and in-laws sort of necessitate it.

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ssjevot posted...

Nope it's quite possible and not even that rare. Japan says you can't be a dual citizen on paper, but much like this lockdown has absolutely no legal enforcement. If I were to get Japanese citizenship I would likely do the same. My fiancee though would happily get rid of her Chinese citizenship but the odds of them recognizing that aren't good. They gave many Chinese people with US citizenship a hard time about taking the evacuation flight from Wuhan. The whole situation was awful, I never want to go back, but work and in-laws sort of necessitate it.

im actually curious about how to get dual citizenship now. They always say Japan is the only country to not allow it.

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_____Cait posted...

im actually curious about how to get dual citizenship now. They always say Japan is the only country to not allow it.

You just don't renounce your old citizenship. You have to actually put effort in to not have dual citizenship. Renho had a hell of time getting rid of her Taiwanese citizenship when they started criticizing her over it once she became the head of the former DPJ.

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_____Cait posted...

im actually curious about how to get dual citizenship now. They always say Japan is the only country to not allow it.

You can be born into it. My 2-yr old son is a dual citizen because my wife is Japanese. IIRC he has to choose to become Japanese or American at some point though. Maybe when he's 20?

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^^lmao

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tennisdude818 posted...

You can be born into it. My 2-yr old son is a dual citizen because my wife is Japanese. IIRC he has to choose to become Japanese or American at some point though. Maybe when he's 20?

You can just do nothing and nothing happens.

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ssjevot posted...

You can just do nothing and nothing happens.

So he could still get both passports, etc.? good for him.

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tennisdude818 posted...

So he could still get both passports, etc.? good for him.

Yep. There are guides online advising you on when to use which one that you should definitely check out.

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Probably because it's not serious

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Doesnt Japan have one of the biggest elderly populations in the whole world?

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they aren't ? but how many cases are in japan right now? although i heard that they have very few cases, like south korea. maybe they're always wearing masks.

Good, nobody should be worried about it.

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CwebbMichSac4 posted...

they aren't ? but how many cases are in japan right now? although i heard that they have very few cases, like south korea. maybe they're always wearing masks.

they arent reporting the real amount and are discouraging people form getting checked.

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_____Cait posted...

they arent reporting the real amount and are discouraging people form getting checked.

if thats true, thats pretty scary given how old the population is and how common it is for multiple generations to live together.

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