As the new coronavirus continues to spread, major cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, have fallen silent on Saturday as people were asked to refrain from going out this weekend as well.
The requests have been made this weekend, mostly to target young people, leaving the usually packed streets eerily quiet.
On Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Tokyo, most shops had closed their shutters and posted a notice announcing the temporary closure. There were only a few people passing by.
The number of infected people in Tokyo has been rapidly increasing since late March. As of Friday, the number stood at 773, the highest in the country. Many young people are infected with the virus, with people from ages 10 to 39 accounting for about 40% of those reported to have tested positive in April.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has asked young people to stay away from such places as karaoke studios and live music clubs. Popular YouTubers are also urging young people to take the current situation more seriously.
In Osaka, only a few people were seen walking around in the Americamura district and the normally crowded area around Hankyu Railway's Osaka-Umeda Station was basically deserted.
"The number of customers began to drop a couple of days ago. Initially, I didn't take it seriously because I thought it was only temporary, but now I'm scared. How long is it going to be like this?" said a 29-year-old part-time employee of a clothing store.
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