STATE OF EMERGENCY IN JAPAN

by Dai Kurokawa

After initially only declaring a state of emergency to certain parts of the country, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 16 April extended the measures to the entire nation as it struggled to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The government requested companies and employers to allow employees to work from home in a bid to reduce commutes by 70 percent, but many workers in the capital are unable or not allowed to do so, resulting in tens of thousands commuting in packed trains and stations in key areas of the city.  Many of those who were forced to commute to their offices expressed concerns that they were exposing themselves and others to risks of infection unnecessarily. The government also asked bars and restaurants to remain closed or reduce their business hours. While many shops are heeding calls from the government to remain closed, some bars and restaurants have been defying the government requests and remaining open nightly with customers sitting side by side with their face masks pulled down to their chins, seemingly complacent to the social distancing guidelines. Unlike in Europe, Japan’s lockdown measures were not mandatory. The government could request and urge people to stay at home, but there were no penalties for leaving home and keeping businesses open.