The number of passengers who used the Toei Subway, operated by the Tokyo metropolitan government, during rush hour in late February decreased by about 8% from late January, after the government urged private companies to introduce staggered working hours and telecommuting to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading, according to a metropolitan government survey.
The metropolitan government's Bureau of Transportation compiled the number of passengers passing through automatic ticket gates on four Toei lines: the Asakusa, Mita, Shinjuku and Oedo lines.
Between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. from Feb. 25 to 27, the survey found the average number of daily users was about 50,000 fewer than between Jan. 20 and 24. On the other hand, the number of commuters between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. increased by about 10,000 or roughly 3%. An official of the metropolitan government said the result was caused by the dispersion of commuting hours.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike decided at a meeting on Feb. 18 to move up the schedule for introducing staggered working hours and telecommuting for metropolitan government employees. The metropolitan government has called on companies and residents in Tokyo to cooperate in implementing such steps, which the government sees as a pillar of measures to counter the infectious illness.
On Monday, about 10,000 Tokyo metropolitan government employees at the head office in Shinjuku Ward began telecommuting on an expanded scale, as the metropolitan government increased the frequency from twice a week to four times a week.
The office was sparsely populated even after 9:30 a.m., and some employees were seen talking on the phone with their colleagues at home. "I hope the metropolitan government will take the initiative in implementing [telecommuting], so that it will spread to the private sector," a senior official said.
As all schools have been closed, priority is being given to officials with children of elementary school age or younger to work from home, and they are being encouraged to stagger their working hours.
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