24/03/2020
I think many of us here in Japan have been following the lead of the government. While schools have been closed they are set to reopen, and for most businesses it seems it is almost business as usual, even as virus numbers continue to rise. The other night I went to a friend’s birthday party expecting the restaurant to be empty. It was packed. We had to wait outside for a table. I have closed Kevin’s English Schools until April and I have closed our Guesthouses essentially by raising the price to Hilton like levels. I have politely rejected inquiries.
While I have done some to stem the virus, I feel I need to do more. Social distancing as a concept is not prevalent here at the moment. Though people have been making some effort. The trains and streets are generally less crowded. But are we doing enough? The problem is, if you aren’t doing enough, by the time you find out, it’s too late. So I plan to social distance as much as I can. I hope you will too. Let’s learn from Wuhan, Italy and Spain, and not repeat them.
How has Japan seemingly escaped the spread of the coronavirus when other countries have suffered so badly?
