Restaurants and department stores in much of the country resumed operations Friday, one day following the government's lifting of the state of emergency in response to the spread of the new coronavirus in 39 prefectures. Facilities that have reopened have begun efforts to comply with infection prevention guidelines set by individual industry associations in an attempt to devise a new routine to prevent new infections as they resume their economic activities.
"Do not allow customers to sit face-to-face," "Avoid serving dishes with large portions" and "Seasoning must not be left on the table."
These are just a few of the guidelines set by the Japan Food Service Association.
A Yakiniku barbecue restaurant in Mito, preparing to reopen Saturday, has placed custom-made acrylic plates at the center of each table. As the installation process for every table takes some time, customers will be asked to sit side-by-side for the time being.
The restaurant has also removed small plates and barbecue sauce containers that were once placed on each table and has stopped offering buffet-style salad and dessert. Kimchi, which was typically served on a large plate, will be served in smaller individual dishes for each customer.
The chairman of Steno Group, the restaurant's managing company, said, "We're making the utmost effort to ensure our customers can enjoy their dining experience under 'the new lifestyle' [suggested by an expert panel of the government]."
Devine Records, a secondhand record shop in Nagoya, posted a notice at its entrance with five rules of entry, including "Come alone."
Each time a customer touches a record, the shop's staff disinfects it with alcohol. The owner said, "The measures we are undertaking are almost exactly in line with [retail industry] guidelines."
A local high school boy who visited the shop said, "I'm scared that a customer not wearing a mask might come near me, but these measures help me feel more at ease."
Department stores and movie theaters will also follow their set guidelines.
The Niigata Isetan department store in Niigata, scheduled to reopen Monday, will use noncontact thermometers to measure customers' temperatures. In its food section, there will be no longer a sample-tasting area, and customers using escalators will be asked to alternate standing on the left and right sides, and to leave a two-step gap after the person ahead of them.
The Akita Opa fashion building, which reopened Friday, has limited the number of people who can board its 13-person capacity elevators to only four people at a time.
The United Cinemas Forte Miyagi Ogawara, a movie theater in Ogawara, Miyagi Prefecture, has stopped the practice of collecting tickets and will now only visually verify them instead. For each occupied seat, four are left vacant -- one each to the front, back, left and right of each customer. Disinfection is thoroughly carried out after each screening.
The Fukuoka Prefectural Library in Fukuoka City has resumed lending books only to those who have made reservations in advance. Library cards are placed on a tray instead of being directly handed to library employees to avoid direct contact.
A local 35-year-old housewife said, "I'm so glad to finally be able to get new books, as both my children and I were getting bored."
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