The battle between Japan and coronavirus is arguably far from over as confirmed cases remain escalating. In response to the surging case, PM Shinzo Abe declared a national state of emergency in April 16, covering all 47 prefectures.
The declaration emerged following the rapid contagion of the pandemic that currently hits almost the whole country. Ever since the declaration, Japanese government has attempted measures to mitigate the damage of the virus in various sectors.
Among the attempts, Japanese government recently announced an additional cash handout worth of 100,000 yen per person. Previously, the government would also issue financial aid worth of 300,000 yen per financially struggling family.
PM Abe also warned people to minimize movements and social contacts by approximately 70% to 80%. This warning applies to people throughout Japan, especially in big cities like Tokyo.
Regarding coronavirus preventive measures, Japanese government has received numerous criticisms and backlashes from foreign countries and its own citizens. In a nationwide survey by Asahi Shimbun, 57% of the respondents thinks that PM Abe lacked leadership during the pandemic.
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Curbing Coronavirus, Japan Bans Entry from 87 Countries
As a measure to flatten the consistently escalating COVID-19 curve, Japan has decided to ban entry from a total of 87 countries. It has increased by 14 compared to the country’s previously announced list.
The 87 countries are mainly American and European countries. That said, Japan also blocked entry from neighboring countries such as China and South Korea which also have an overwhelming number of cases.
Accordingly, the ban does not only apply to foreign travelers who want to visit Japan. It also applies to Japanese people who want to travel to the banned countries.
Regarding the number of countries that Japan currently blocks, the country has blocked roughly a third of the world. Considering its early COVID-19 cases, the contagion was mostly from abroad, such as the Diamond Princess case.
Japan currently confirms 13,585 positive cases, with 383 fatalities.
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