How Japan is helping and coping during the Coronavirus outbreak

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus has had massive effects on the world. Over 2,200,000 people have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, with more than 150,000 succumbing to it. The pandemic has also caused serious economic damage in certain countries. The United States, in particular, has seen layoffs, hiring freezes and closings of non-essential businesses. Other countries such as Italy have been in official lockdowns enforced by their governments.

Japan’s response to COVID-19 has not been as strict as that of other places. However, it recently declared a nationwide state of emergency until May 6.

This does not mean a state of total lockdown as in other countries. The Japanese government does not have the legal authority to do this. However, governors can now exert pressure on schools and other organizations to shut down through strong requests. While there are no legal consequences for not complying, many schools and businesses have already shut down due to the state of emergency. The declaration also gives governors some limited powers, such as the ability to fine companies who don’t cooperate with the distribution of medical goods.

The government requested schools closed back in late February, and the shutdown at many schools currently continues. Many companies are at least allowing their employees to work remotely. Japanese immigration has enacted entry bans and restrictions for travelers who have recently been to affected areas.

That said, some people have expressed concern with Japan’s testing rate and measures taken against the virus spreading. As of this writing, the situation seems to be taking a turn because of the rapid growth of the infected population.

People are understandably worried about the short and long term effects of this pandemic, especially as we do not know how long it will last.

Regardless of what happens, difficult times can bring out both the worst and best in people. We’ve been hearing a lot of negative news about the effects caused by the spread of the virus. However, companies and organizations are also offering help in this time of need. This help ranges from essential services such as food delivery, to things that make people’s lives a little more convenient and pleasant during the outbreak.

For example, the convenience store chain Lawson announced that it would be sending free onigiri (rice balls) to childcare facilities in early March. Originally, the offer was limited to 30,000 onigiri, but as demand was 10 times higher than expected they extended their plans. The offer is an enormous help for children who are in child care facilities due to school shutdowns.

Because of the school closings, two restaurants in Kyoto also stepped up by allowing children of dual income families to stay during the day free of charge. Shinsenen Heihachi and Matsunaga offered space to these children in March so they can study and pass the time. The former also prepared simple meals for these students, as well as consulted with their guardians about possible allergies. Matsunaga offered its space to be used as a classroom for parents and children.

Companies who offer less essential services are still doing what they can to make people’s lives more pleasant in this difficult time. The flower delivery company Bloomee LIFE has offered to deliver 10,000 flowers for free, in order to brighten up the day of students who are stuck at home due to school cancellations, as well as company employees who are working remotely. Many important events such as school entrance and graduation ceremonies have been cancelled because of the coronavirus.

Individuals are also finding their own creative ways to deal with these cancellations. Students at a particular Japanese elementary school decided to hold a remote graduation ceremony after theirs was cancelled. They used the video game Minecraft to build a virtual ceremony hall, and spent the day playing with each other online. Minecraft allows players to build virtual worlds out of blocks and interact with each other through the internet.

Other industries are dealing with the crisis in similar ways. The government officially requested citizens to voluntarily refrain from having public gatherings, and organizations are choosing to cancel or postpone events. This has been especially noticeable in the music industry. Packed music venues are major transmission grounds for the virus, and live houses in bigger cities such as Osaka had several people who tested positive for it.

To soften the blow somewhat, some musicians and bands are offering live streams of concerts that otherwise would have been outright cancelled, usually at no cost or for a small fee. Avex is one of music record labels streaming free live shows of popular musicians such as Ayumi Hamasaki.

These are small but impactful actions during this COVID-19 crisis, the true effects of which are yet to be seen. Helping each other out and building a sense of community, even as we deal with the stress and possible isolation caused by the situation, is vital.

Taking advantage of services such as those mentioned above can play at least a small part in preventing the spread of the virus. We can use them as ways to find ideas to pass the time by ourselves or with the people in our lives.

The next few months are not going to be easy. But with proper action from the government, organizations and individuals, we can possibly prevent the outbreak from being as severe as other parts of the world. Stay safe, and use whatever methods you can to take care of yourself and others in the meantime.