By / Scenic Spots Family Fresh, compiled report
As the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak spreads, Japan — one of Taiwan people’s favorite travel destinations — is also shrouded in the shadow of the epidemic. Moreover, many believe the actual situation in Japan is even worse than the officially reported numbers, with some even arguing that Japan has been slow to respond and lacks sufficient quarantine capacity.
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Photo / Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki, the same below
As of the evening of March 1, Japan had 955 confirmed cases (including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship) and 12 deaths. Although the number is still lower than South Korea’s over 3,000 cases, the general public’s panic over Japan’s epidemic is no less than that over South Korea’s. All of this stems from the initial quarantine measures on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which left much of the world feeling unconfident. The fact that many passengers tested positive only after returning to their home countries has also raised concerns about Japan’s quarantine capabilities and measures.
In addition, compared to many countries that have directly refused entry to travelers from China, Japan has only banned those with travel history in Hubei and Zhejiang provinces of China, or those holding passports issued by Hubei Province. Many believe that as long as there are still Chinese travelers entering and exiting, it will be difficult to completely prevent the virus.
After the spread of the epidemic in February, Japan has entered a stage of community transmission, with many asymptomatic confirmed cases. The tracking of contact histories is also a concern. There is also a shortage of masks locally in Japan. With the Tokyo Olympics approaching, whether the epidemic can be effectively controlled is truly a global concern.
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Amid the impact of the pneumonia outbreak on Japanese tourism, in addition to implementing epidemic prevention measures and reducing operational costs, many events and attractions have been postponed, canceled, or closed. For example, the Tokyo Marathon, originally scheduled for March 1, has been scaled down, focusing mainly on professional athletes. Since the race results affect the selection of Tokyo Olympic representatives, it must still be carefully managed despite the outbreak.
Another major focus of concern regarding Japan’s epidemic is the consecutive cases in Hokkaido, including infections among those under the age of ten. On February 28, Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki declared a “state of emergency.” Hokkaido urged people to minimize going out and avoid crowds from February 28 to March 19. Since the first confirmed case in Hokkaido on January 28, the number of confirmed cases in the prefecture has reached 72. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Katsunobu Kato, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also urgently worked with Governor Suzuki to implement emergency epidemic prevention measures, treating Hokkaido as a key prevention area.
March is also Japan’s graduation season, and April is an important month for new graduates entering the workforce. Many people’s graduation and job plans have been disrupted. Many tourist spots that rely on visitors are about to welcome the cherry blossom season but are facing the dilemma of having no visitors. Business has plummeted, and job opportunities have begun to shrink. The COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on Japan.
Currently, Taiwan’s travel epidemic alert level for Japan remains at Level 2. The Ministry of Health and Welfare believes that the increase in confirmed cases in Japan is not as rapid as in countries like South Korea and Iran, but the alert level may be raised depending on future developments.
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