Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike sounded an alarm over the rapid increase in novel coronavirus cases in the capital.
"The number of people infected on a given day can potentially be as high as 1,000. What will happen depends on everyone's cooperation," Koike said at a press conference Thursday.
From Aug. 3 to 31, during the second wave of the pandemic, the Tokyo metropolitan government had requested that restaurants and other businesses that serve alcohol reduce their hours of operation and close at 10 p.m. across all of Tokyo. In the 23 wards of central Tokyo, this request remained in effect until Sept. 15. Shops that complied with the request were paid a maximum of 350,000 yen in support. A similar request was considered this time as well, but many in the metropolitan government were cautious about issuing it, warning of a major impact on Tokyo's vitality if people were to disappear from restaurants.
One reason the metropolitan government did not make the request was that the current infection situation is different from this summer. In July, before the request was made, nightlife businesses, including establishments offering entertainment with food and alcohol, or hosting groups dining together, accounted for about half of infected people whose infection routes were known. That share had dropped to 11% by the week ending Nov. 16. People infected by family members accounted for 42% of new infections, the highest percentage in infection routes.
"It's hard to see how effective a request to shorten hours would be," a senior official of the Tokyo metropolitan government said. "I can't see any measures stronger than a 'request' that gets people to comply in exchange for a cooperation fee. The number of seriously ill people has not shown a clear increase recently. If we make the request now, we will have no measures to take when the situation worsens further in the future."
The central government has pledged to strike a balance between controlling the spread of the virus and supporting the economy. The government's policy is to leave decisions on requesting shorter hours, which could slow down economic activities, to local governments. However, "there were some behind-the-scenes attempts to get [Tokyo] to go ahead with the request," one of those involved said.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, minister in charge of economic revitalization, did not clearly urge the metropolitan government to impose such a request. Instead, he said at a press conference on Thursday evening: "I share with Gov. Koike a sense of urgency on curbing the [spread of] infections. As the government, we want to take necessary steps. I also want the metropolitan government to do what needs to be done."
As the Christmas season, year-end and New Year approach, there will be more opportunities for people to gather for group meals. "If signs of an explosive surge in infections surfaces, a request to shorten hours will become a reality," said a senior Tokyo metropolitan government official.
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