Christine Yong, who we interviewed last year for tips on how to achieve the perfect score at the IB, is presently an AI researcher living in Ueno, Tokyo. We talked with her about the COVID-19 situation in Japan and found out a few interesting details about the crisis over there that we didn’t read about in global news.
“Management of the epidemic has been by Japanese bureaucrats not trained in epidemiology or medicine.”Q: Hi Christine, thanks for coming back on to share updates on the coronavirus disease situation in Japan! When did you first hear about the 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus and what did you think of it then?
A: I heard about it on the news just before flying home to Singapore for Chinese New Year. I remember not thinking that I was at high risk of catching it at the time, as cases were only beginning to be reported in mainland China. I did however feel some sense of impending doom. Spreading of the virus seemed inevitable given the masses that would be travelling during the festive period. My family and friends were already advising me to wear a mask at the airport, keep a distance from those who were sick, and monitor myself carefully for flu symptoms.
How concerned are you now that Japan is presently one of the countries outside of China with the most number of infected? How concerned is the rest of Japan?
I am concerned enough to be wary of others around me who have flu symptoms, but I have not thus far felt the need to wear a mask in public or stock up on food at home.
As for the rest of Japan, there is a very palpable uptick in people donning surgical masks, but this is not particularly panic-inducing as wearing face masks is quite a normal sight in Japan. No panic-buying of food has yet occurred (Japanese usually already have stashes of food and emergency supplies at home, in case of an earthquake or tsunami). However, face masks are sold out everywhere, with both locals and tourists emptying out new stock immediately. More companies (mostly smaller, and/or younger ones) are also introducing remote work as a containment measure. A ramen shop in Ueno has even decided to turn away all foreign customers, although this is one of few extreme cases of discrimination against foreigners due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Do you personally know people who’ve been infected with COVID-19? How did most of the cases in Japan get infected anyway? Are there any notable clusters other than the now infamous Diamond Princess cruise ship?
I do not personally know anyone who has been infected with COVID-19. So far, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has updated the public through press releases on the number and prefecture of known cases, but it is not clear if there are significant clusters other than the Diamond Princess cruise ship—they are distributed across prefectures, with a slight concentration in the Greater Tokyo Area.
Why do you choose to stay on in Tokyo regardless?
Despite some shortcomings in the government’s reporting and its implementation of countermeasures, people in Japan practice good hygiene and social awareness in general. I am not so alarmed as to leave Japan and my job here because of the epidemic.
What measures have the government of Japan imposed to keep the COVID-19 outbreak under control? What must you do and what are you no longer allowed to do?
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is publishing regular updates on the number of identified cases and guidance on how to maintain hygiene at home and at work. They have emphasised hand-washing, maintaining cough etiquette, and wearing masks when ill. People with cold symptoms or fever of 37.5°C or more for 4 days or more have been advised to contact consultation centres and/or their General Practitioner. Since the beginning of February, Japan has not been admitting anyone who has history of travelling to and from Hubei or Zhejiang, or has a Chinese passport officially issued from Hubei or Zhejiang. Finally, some events including those related to the Olympics have been scaled down or cancelled. Announcements and public advisories have been published mostly in only Japanese.
How effective do you think those measures have been?
Because the level of hygiene is good in Japan, people have simply ramped up attention to existing practices. As for containing the disease, it is not the measures’ effectiveness but the lack of certain measures or mishandling of the Princess Diamond quarantine situation that I found unsatisfactory. For example, it has been difficult to trace the spread of the virus throughout Japan for two reasons. First, for those on the Princess Diamond, quarantine and travel restriction measures after release have not lived up to infection control standards, as pointed out in a now removed video by Professor Iwata Kentaro of Kobe University Hospital. Second, entry restrictions were imposed for those associated with Hubei or Zhejiang in the 2 ways stated above, but the recently infected were people who had travel histories to other countries, namely Indonesia and Hawaii. This left many people vulnerable to unknowingly causing person-to-person infections.
What is the status of food, water and medical supplies like masks in stores in Japan right now? Has there been panic-buying or shortages?
Only masks have really been affected by shortages. New stocks are depleted immediately.
Have you done anything to prepare for the possibility that the novel coronavirus epidemic might get worse? Have you stocked up or made special plans you can execute at a moment’s notice?
Not in particular.
Do you still go out? If so, what precautions do you take when, and before and after, going out?
Yes. I have not been taking any special precautions in my daily life other than wearing a mask when flying through airports, and avoiding those who appear to be ill.
How has the COVID-19 epidemic affected your life and that of those around you?
Only insofar as we are more aware of the need to keep hygiene standards high.
Has the government of Japan offered any aid or relief for those whose livelihoods have been affected by the outbreak?
A returnee contact centre has been set up for those who suspect they have the coronavirus. Other than this, the existing compulsory national insurance and public healthcare system have been responsible for providing treatment.
Is there anything you know about the situation within Japan that has not been mentioned, or has been misrepresented, by global news?
I believe that the following points have not been emphasised in global news:
1—Lack of proper quarantine measures on the Princess Diamond.
2—Those released from the ship were allowed to travel on public transport without further quarantine.
3—Management of the epidemic has been by Japanese bureaucrats not trained in epidemiology or medicine.
What will you do if you or those who live with you develop symptoms of the virus? What do the authorities of Japan want you to do?
Wear a mask, and consult the returnee contact centre and/or your General Practitioner.
Which 3 items or people are most useful for you right now?
Surgical masks, painkillers/anti-congestants, and news agencies.
Lastly, what have you learned from this novel coronavirus outbreak that you didn’t know before?
That despite Japan being a developed country with advanced research and medical capabilities, its epidemic response has not lived up to expectations. They have not matched measures implemented in other countries, especially with regards to contact tracing and quarantine measures.
Christine will be moving back to Singapore for work later this year. You can follow her discoveries in AI at christineyong.com or ask her for updates on the coronavirus situation in Japan using the comment box below.
More interviews with those affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak to come. Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.
If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.
Other interviews with Christine Yong:
How I Got The Perfect Score Of 45 For The IB
Photographs courtesy and copyright of Christine Yong. Interviewer: Sy
Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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The news media in the US is embellishing the corona virus story as much as possible to get ratings and it’s putting people more on edge than they have to be.
Most of the people we’ve interviewed from places with high COVID-19 numbers are generally calm though, despite them being at higher risk than any person in the US at this point. It helps to know that most people with COVID-19 recover, some even on their own without medical assistance.
Its’ very interesting to hear the experience from persons of different countries, thanks for the interview! Has anyone from Japan mentioned their thoughts regarding whether or not the Olympics should be held?
Hi Val, none yet. I can ask Christine to tell you. News reports today are saying that some countries are pulling their athletes out of the Olympics though. Let’s see how that evolves.