TOKYO — Tokyo reported 181 new coronavirus cases Thursday, setting another record daily increase.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1302637
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1302637
The numbers aren’t too bad quite yet-- hovering around the 2% deaths-to-confirmed cases ratio.
But Tokyo is another NYC on the brink-- in terms of density of its populace.
Do think Japan’s proximity to PPE manufacturing-- and the fact that I’ve found N95 masks for sale online throughout-- since late-February. Leads me to think it might not be allowed to rampage as the virus did-- and is still-- in NYC.
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Remember, there is a direct correlation between population density and infection levels.
Tokyo is one of the most densely populated places on the planet, so dense that it is said that all the residents of Tokyo cannot stand on the streets at the same time as there is not enough space.
Luckily, wearing of face masks is a long-standing cultural norm in Japan (also an amazing clean country obsessed with cleanliness) so this should hopefully mitigate infection rates.
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and they went fast and early closing schools and business’
All this talk about “Flatening curves” coupled with the daily Gaslighting hour and the daily bullshit shoveling on Faux is going to have the rubes ignoring the separation
Watch for another uptick in cases , Coming to a Red State or Red district near you
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Compare subway ridership over time in Tokyo to the same period in NYC, if I recall Josh’s numbers anyway near correctly, and closing the school so quickly it seems they are taking this seriously. It will be interesting to see if they can learn form New York’s mistakes and stay in control.
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A lot of those red states will be totally fucked. The refusal to take the Medicaid expansion has helped ruin what healthcare system they had and ignoring social distancing will result in a MAGA disaster.
Tokyo and Japan have very significant populations of older people. This is really, really bad news. There is so much beauty in their culture, and now they, too, have to endure this onslaught.
And this was all avoidable. Heckuvajob, Trumplethinskin!
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My wife and I live in Hamamatsu a few months each year (not at the moment). We are about two hours south of Tokyo on the shinkansen. PM Abe suffered from some of the same denialism that infected Trump. Really didn’t want to postpone the Olympics. Dangerous, ill-advised, but somewhat understandable. Huge thing to let go of. My brother-in-law and nieces were a little casual about the pandemic at first. A little of the “can’t-happen-here” attitude we suffer from in the States. We started sending stuff from amazon.co.jp–blue shop towels, isopropyl alcohol, bleach, canned goods, of course rice sacks–to the family home a few weeks ago. But I’m scared as heck for my extended family and friends. The public transportation–buses, Japan Rail (JR) local trains, and the amazing shinkansen (bullet train) are fantastic, but crowded and therefore, now, dangerous. Masks and no hand-shaking or hugging friends will work in their favor. And the healthcare system is excellent. (I’m American, but I do medical stuff like colonoscopies when in Japan. Better, cheaper, less attitude.) And the willingness of people to comply with common-sense protocols like social distancing and staying home will help a lot. But I still worry.
Gambatte, Nihon!
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This is what exponents greater than 1 look like. They’re going to be setting records for quite a while.
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Japan may surpass the U.S. in numbers of infected.
Go fly a kite. ; )
This is actually a fallacy. NYC is about three times as densely populated as Tokyo. Tokyo itself still has pockets of one and two story SFR in the heart of the city and very few taller apartment and condo buildings in the city proper because most people simply can’t afford them. Outside the Yamanote Line, the residential density quickly peters out to low rise apartment buildings and SFR.
That being said, the main problem is the appalling crowding in the subways and commuter trains.
I used to know this kind of stuff for a living.
Ha! Too funny. We’ve been to the Kite Festival a few times. Me the 6-foot tall geeky white guy–looking well out of place in my neighborhood cho’s happi coat and split-toe shoes. Missed the kites during the day last year, but we like to catch the float parade downtown at night.
I did that once in Ena, if you know where that is? Aichi and Nagoya have been my furasato for over 40 years.
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We have a cousin in Nagoya and shink there mostly for concerts. Nagoya Blue Note. Queen+Paul Rodgers a few years ago and an amazing Paul McCartney more recently. Nice town. Everything you need but closer and more manageable than Tokyo. I had never heard of Ena, but my wife explained.
Stay safe!
Many moons ago, saw Tower of Power at the Blue Note. Great venue.