It’s been two months since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold worldwide. I have been working from home since then, occasionally working on call at my job and holding virtual meetings with my colleagues to discuss curriculum for the upcoming school year. If the new school year ever comes.
In between writing and copious amounts of gaming, I’ve tried to keep up with the COVID-19 related news. To say that I’m frustrated with the actions of both my native US government and my residential Japanese government is an understatement. While stronger actions have been taken in Japan over the last month or so, there are still some fundamental changes that should happen.
I say this with the full understanding that, when it comes to internal travel restrictions, Japan’s hands are tied due to their permissive Constitution. Moreover, I am one of the more privileged when it comes to my condition during this difficult time–I am single with no children and working from home.
However, I believe it goes without saying that regardless of marital status, parental status, or working situation, everyone should have access to safety, shelter, care, and peace of mind.
From the beginning of this difficult time, I was more concerned with people’s reaction to COVID-19, rather than the virus itself. This isn’t to downplay the deadliness of the virus, but as of April 28, 2020, we only have preventative methods rather than cures. So rather than the microbe with no soul, I’m focused on the government’s handling of this epidemic, which has been mixed to say the least.
Despite Prime Minister Abe’s hope that Japan will open up again on May 6th, COVID-19 cases continue to climb nationwide, especially in Tokyo. Even if in the best case scenario we recover from this sooner rather than later, we still need to be prepared for the next pandemic. For that to be possible, Japan as a whole needs to take some things into serious consideration.
Improve The Emergency Response System
Japan’s ambulances, in particular, have been some cause for controversy, both in their usage and operation. I live on a major road, so I hear every ambulance that speeds through the neighborhood–which is much more frequent these days. I’m used to it, especially during the summertime, where dozens of people can die from heatstroke.
But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan’s ambulance system was ripe for misuse. Unlike my native United States, ambulances are free, due in part to Japan’s universal health care. This is great for accessibility. But it gives some people the impression that ambulances are on-call cab services, rather than solely for medical emergencies.
According to a 2014 FDMA white paper, 49.9% of ambulance calls were for minor issues, including “wanting to go to the dentist, avoiding a walk to the hospital, or to keep from hailing a taxi”. Egregious abuse of the ambulance system averts resources from those in critical condition.
Plans have been considered for charging fees to people who called an ambulance for minor issues. But I think that’s a slippery slope to a for-profit healthcare system. Instead, I propose fines on a sliding scale–provided that the issue is indeed minor.
There is also the grave issue of what happens if you manage to land an ambulance.
It’s common for ambulances to bounce from hospital to hospital, only to be rejected. A foreign resident reported about a close friend being rejected from 15 different hospitals before she was finally admitted to one, as she struggled to breathe. She tested negative for COVID-19 on April 17th but showed symptoms on April 10th. It should not have taken that long.
Embrace Telecommuting
When I talk about telecommuting, I am talking about both office work and school. The slow transition from analog (faxes and hanko stamps) to digital (e-mail and conference calls) plays a major part in Japan Inc’s reluctance to telecommute or telework. Additional reasons include a tradition of face-to-face meetings and a value of work presence over efficiency.
In Japanese work culture, managers are more likely to evaluate employees by “their work attitude and how late they stay at the office, rather than their performance”. This leads to low productivity, and in current times poses a major health risk to the employees, managers and their families.
Many people have waxed poetic about the importance of telecommuting. Yet many commuters are still outdoors, in packed trains. Part of this also has to do with employers using governmental loopholes to their advantage. As long as the government remains lax on stay-at-home orders, companies and schools will have no legal incentive to develop telecommuting systems, even in the face of disaster. Which brings me to my next point…
Less Requests, More Requirements
As I mentioned before, Japan’s constitution prevents it from enforcing travel-based lockdowns unlike other countries. Because of this, we’ve been inundated with “strong recommendations” that a sizable minority did not heed to. Not only was Yoyogi Park at full capacity during hanami (flower-viewing) season, but 60,000 travel reservations were made for Golden Week trips to Okinawa, despite its governor warning them to cancel and stay away.
But it’s not just for legal reasons that the government has been lax about mandated closures. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has made it very clear that he wants to protect the economy as much as possible. As such, many facilities are left to their own devices as to how to handle their services.
A few companies have changed their policies. McDonald’s Japan has canceled dine-in service. Pole Dance Tokyo has closed down its studio and is now offering online classes. And the other week, when I went to Kaldi Coffee Farm, I had to wait until the checkout line cleared out before I was allowed to enter the store.
Most of these policy changes are until May 6th, but I expect that will change upon the state of emergency’s extension.
These are the better examples of preventative measures.
However, because of the government’s mixed messages, many people are still not taking it seriously. Restaurants that still offer dine-in service are still full. Social distancing is a slow-to-embrace concept, especially when standing on line at the store. A few people cite avoiding boredom as a reason to shirk government warnings to stay home:
“‘It’s ridiculous,” said an 80-year-old man drinking Wednesday at a downtown bar. “What am I supposed to do at home? I’d only be watching TV.”’
-Mari Yamaguchi, AP, “Why Many Japanese Are Ignoring Their Government’s Pleas to Stay Home During a Major Holiday Break” TIME Magazine, 4/30/2020
Quotes such as the one stated above are especially shocking because a common refrain–both from Japanese and foreign people alike–is that Japan is the pinnacle of consensus and harmony. But as the article states, “the pandemic is pitting those willing to follow the rules against a sizable minority who are resisting the calls to stay home”.
If the government is willing to rewrite laws in order to call a state of emergency for public health reasons, there might be a way to enforce, or at the very least, incentivize sheltering-in-place. Unfortunately, considering Japan’s reluctance to embrace practical technology, keeping track of people’s location, let alone knowing when they need assistance, may prove difficult.
Understand Today’s Family Dynamic
When the Abe administration suddenly called for a month-long school closure way back in late February, it took everyone, especially parents, by surprise. This announcement took place after the administration faced heavy scrutiny for their lackadaisical approach to the emerging pandemic. Many people knew that this was an ill-advised ploy to avert COVID-19’s impact without jeopardizing the 2020 Summer Olympics. The celebrated event was eventually postponed after Australia and Canada dropped out of the competition out of obvious health concerns.
Therefore, the rash decision to close schools was all for naught–and it stressed parents out along the way. While middle and high school-age students might be able to manage themselves outside of school, younger elementary students have more needs. Unless there is one parent at home–usually the mother–finding adequate childcare is a risky challenge.
The Japanese government has a habit of making assumptions about Japan’s family dynamic based on post-war concepts. Since then, the typical and expected image of the modern Japanese family is a salaryman, a housewife, and their two children. In reality, that dynamic hasn’t existed in Japan for a long time.
It is now more common that both parents work outside the home. On top of that, more than a third of households are occupied by a single person. Meaning that in cases of daily errands such as going to the bank, mailing a letter, or tasks even more involved such as childcare or self-care in case of illness, there is no backup.
The immediate school closures–like most myopic government policies–show a huge blind spot between idealism and reality. If Japan wishes to keep their society afloat during a crisis, they have to examine their options through a contemporary lens, and not solely a traditional one:
“As someone who grew up in a single-parent family, I hope the government and companies will take relief measures or compensate single parents, two-income families and other families who might face difficulties due to their jobs,” one commenter wrote on Twitter. “I’m about to puke just thinking about it.”
Motoko Rich, Ben Dooley, Makiko Inoue, NYT, “Japan Shocks Parents by Moving to Close All Schools Over Coronavirus”, 2/27/2020
Conclusion
Living in Japan during a global pandemic has been difficult for myself and many others. Any concerns or anxieties I had were exacerbated by the Japanese government’s inaction to handle this situation sooner. There’s still the matter of how difficult it is to receive a COVID-19 test and the lack of soap available in train station restrooms.
Moreover, social distancing is still a novel concept, in my personal experience. At the supermarket, the markers in line are not six feet apart, so I stand two spots back. I try not to share an aisle with people, especially if the store is small. But it feels fruitless at times, especially when a fellow shopper sidles up right beside me.
All in all, these are suggestions and concerns that I’ve harbored since the beginning of this crisis. Those who read this may have a different perspective. But I firmly believe that if the residents aren’t given a higher priority over the economy, cases will continue to rise and workers will continue to be exploited.
As a resident of Japan, regardless of national origin, what concerns have you had about the government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis? What improvements have you seen? What improvements would you like to see? How can we plan better for the future? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.
