May 30, 2020
New life style for days with covid-19 remains to be seen in Japan
Japanese people are moving step by step toward resuming their normal life after two months of self-restraints to survive the covid-19 pandemic, but they are asked to explore a different normal lifestyle for the new days in which they live with the new virus.
Restrictions on the use of public facilities and places, such as libraries, museums and parks, are gradually being removed. This has given a sigh of relief for many families, making them possible to go out with kids and let them play out on the ground. However, people working on small businesses in various fields are having difficulty attracting customers back to their shops.
Hardest hit by the "jishuku" self-restraint moves in Japan's society is the night entertainment business world with operations in busy areas in major cities in various regions.It is far from certain if and when the night businesses will truly return to their previous situation.
Japan's policymakers have come to remove or soften restrictions on people's life and business activities in view of signs that the first wave of spread of the deadly virus has peaked out in Japan, but people are urged to continue the series of new living customs, such as wearing face masks, keeping a social distance in making lines at public places, and avoiding crowded, bustling areas.
The "Bunkagai" district in the heart of Kurume, in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, is a hub of night business operators, which have attracted thousands of people almost every night. But passers-by on the streets and alleys in the area are scarce.
It remains unknown if the area will actually take its energies back, and the plight of night businesses in the district may undermine the local economy.
