Sorry, not exactly correct. First a little background. I am an American citizen who is currently living in Japan and have for over 20 years. My wife is Japanese as is our son who is currently attending grade school. I teach, soon taught, at several medical universities and vocational schools.
While it is true that there are no government mandates for the vaccine this is also true for ALL covid counter measures practiced here. There are been 4 Emergency Declarations during the 5 waves we have officially experienced. These declarations were accompanied with a range of “recommendations” of which everyone else in the world know as mandates; masks, plastic sheeting, social distancing, online schooling for secondary education, business closures, cancellations of all social events for well over a year and limited occupancy (rationing) for those that are now being held. Primary schools have been back in the classroom since June 2020 but masks are worn all day and the students must “mokushoku” a new word for eating in silence and isolation as they have for the past 2 school years. All extracurricular activities have been banned for most of this time and what is recently starting back up are most likely not in public schools. My wife has only been in to her office twice since February of 2020 despite “Just Stay Home” being only a “recommendation”. I have taught two full school years to a faceless, voiceless computer screens as students are not allowed to leave their residences as per university covid protocols. Learned at the start of the new year that at least one of my schools will be all on line again for the upcoming school year, the 3rd school year thus conducted. I could fill an entire book just listing all the activities that have not been allowed under the recommendations. Oh, and by the way, the last Emergency Declaration was lifted November 1st 2020 yet everyone is still carrying one just as if they were still in place.
Vaccines are handled just the same as masks. I do not wear one and have only twice been told to wear one outside of work (lots of fun those work episodes were!) and both were after the lifting of the last Emergency Declaration. I get stared at intensely by many, but by no means all I come in contact with. I was offered the vaccine by 3 employers and turned each offer down. Nothing was said. I, however, am a part timer and am thus afforded such accommodation. Full time employees and students are not. I have the email telling students and full time employees when they were to get their third Covid shot.
Is it compulsory? My western standards, no. By Japanese standards, very much so. The greatest fear of Japanese is to be in the minority. They fear being “the nail that stands out” more than death itself. One of my clients hates masks as much as I and for the same reasons. He wears one and has to require it of his employees. His business can not be in the minority and remain competitive. Additionally, most of his employees believe in them and would be afraid to come to work and especially to deal with customers if masks were not required. Same with parents of students.
Despite my refusing to get the shot when offered by three different employers and prepared to lose my job over it, I am losing jobs over masks, I got the shot. Why? Unlike with any other disease including the Flu, my son can not attend school if anyone in the household has Covid like symptoms and anyone is unvaccinated.
Japan is a very different culture than the West. Never take comparisons between the two at face value.
If interested, I can post translated copies of the Covid protocols and “booster” schedule for students issued by a major medical school in Japan. They are lengthy but should put to rest any and all thoughts that things remain sensible in Japan.
Thank you so much for your detailed, thoughtful response and setting me straight. So much for journalism. Would you consider publishing this as your own article? I will edit my pice with a note to read your comment.
Sorry for the short response. Wife asked to me run an errand. Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, journalism leave much out of the story. But to be fair, so do a great many studies that compare countries and cultures. We assume that humanity agrees on “what is” and “what is not” while we often do not. For much of my time here I have seen articles and news items on Japan published in the US that are just flat out wrong. The issues with Covid reporting are a bit more complex as on the surface they seem accurate. It is fact that we are not living under any government imposed mandates. Most assume that means we are living life as if Covid never existed or with little inconvenience. Sadly, that is not the case.
Not opposed to doing so, but have never done so and have no idea where to start. I have more detailed responses to other substacks posting saved that might be better. The covid countermeasures I am to follow are unbelievable. I have also had a big fight with one employer over wearing masks for online classes. In short, it is nuts over here. I have much longer more posting that detail all of this. What would you like to be the focus? Public restrictions, employer restrictions, the destruction of education?
Japan Update. On Thursday January 20th Japan announced the approval of Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine for children 5 years and up. Originally they planned to start vaccinations for the expanded range or children in February but will roll it out in March due to supply issues. Yesterday was the first day of our 5th Lockdown Light (TM). With the administration of the 3rd shot of Covid vaccine for medical students one of my medical schools has directed the teachers to change policy and content of classes as needed to accommodate students suffering from the side effects of the shot. Medical schools in Japan accept students just after graduation from high school. As the age of majority in Japan is 20, most 1st years students are minors.
Please spread this far and wide. I get getting asked or told how well Japan is handling the panic. I do not know the source nor the paths of the flow of this misinformation but keep stumbling across it. We are entering our 3rd year of all online classes for at least some in secondary education. The 3rd years of primary school students wearing masks and eating alone and in silence at school. The 3rd year or masks, plexiglass barriers and plastic sheeting separating people everywhere. It is complete madness here with no break for for 2 years. Japan is NOT handling it well at all.
Really like the Peter Koenig article and his linked videos. Rational conclusions not clouded by emotion are always useful. High points Dr Sucharit Bakhdi, Dr Michael Yeadon, especially the revealing information about the YGL conspiracy, I was wondering about the current imposter President's connection to the YGL. After viewing the WEF video "..You will own nothing and you will be happy" I have to conclude that recruits to, and graduates from the Youth Global Leaders are gullible idealists who are seduced into a globalist fantasy. I am sure that Klaus Schwab has no problem manipulating them and their performance, for instance Justin Trudeau - his dictatorial state in Canada, and Jacinda Ahern in New Zealand, forcing their consitutents to take what Michael Yeadon describes as "deadly" injections leads me to believe that they are unknowing dupes of a conspiracy that is far above their heads. These bright eyed and bushy tailed go-getters are leading their countries down the road to perdition just as the life-long failure Biden is doing in the U.S. You can't have it both ways, either these people are dead right or they are dead wrong. Does anyone really believe that Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates will "have nothing and be happy" at the end of this process.
Sorry, not exactly correct. First a little background. I am an American citizen who is currently living in Japan and have for over 20 years. My wife is Japanese as is our son who is currently attending grade school. I teach, soon taught, at several medical universities and vocational schools.
While it is true that there are no government mandates for the vaccine this is also true for ALL covid counter measures practiced here. There are been 4 Emergency Declarations during the 5 waves we have officially experienced. These declarations were accompanied with a range of “recommendations” of which everyone else in the world know as mandates; masks, plastic sheeting, social distancing, online schooling for secondary education, business closures, cancellations of all social events for well over a year and limited occupancy (rationing) for those that are now being held. Primary schools have been back in the classroom since June 2020 but masks are worn all day and the students must “mokushoku” a new word for eating in silence and isolation as they have for the past 2 school years. All extracurricular activities have been banned for most of this time and what is recently starting back up are most likely not in public schools. My wife has only been in to her office twice since February of 2020 despite “Just Stay Home” being only a “recommendation”. I have taught two full school years to a faceless, voiceless computer screens as students are not allowed to leave their residences as per university covid protocols. Learned at the start of the new year that at least one of my schools will be all on line again for the upcoming school year, the 3rd school year thus conducted. I could fill an entire book just listing all the activities that have not been allowed under the recommendations. Oh, and by the way, the last Emergency Declaration was lifted November 1st 2020 yet everyone is still carrying one just as if they were still in place.
Vaccines are handled just the same as masks. I do not wear one and have only twice been told to wear one outside of work (lots of fun those work episodes were!) and both were after the lifting of the last Emergency Declaration. I get stared at intensely by many, but by no means all I come in contact with. I was offered the vaccine by 3 employers and turned each offer down. Nothing was said. I, however, am a part timer and am thus afforded such accommodation. Full time employees and students are not. I have the email telling students and full time employees when they were to get their third Covid shot.
Is it compulsory? My western standards, no. By Japanese standards, very much so. The greatest fear of Japanese is to be in the minority. They fear being “the nail that stands out” more than death itself. One of my clients hates masks as much as I and for the same reasons. He wears one and has to require it of his employees. His business can not be in the minority and remain competitive. Additionally, most of his employees believe in them and would be afraid to come to work and especially to deal with customers if masks were not required. Same with parents of students.
Despite my refusing to get the shot when offered by three different employers and prepared to lose my job over it, I am losing jobs over masks, I got the shot. Why? Unlike with any other disease including the Flu, my son can not attend school if anyone in the household has Covid like symptoms and anyone is unvaccinated.
Japan is a very different culture than the West. Never take comparisons between the two at face value.
If interested, I can post translated copies of the Covid protocols and “booster” schedule for students issued by a major medical school in Japan. They are lengthy but should put to rest any and all thoughts that things remain sensible in Japan.
Thank you so much for your detailed, thoughtful response and setting me straight. So much for journalism. Would you consider publishing this as your own article? I will edit my pice with a note to read your comment.
Sorry for the short response. Wife asked to me run an errand. Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, journalism leave much out of the story. But to be fair, so do a great many studies that compare countries and cultures. We assume that humanity agrees on “what is” and “what is not” while we often do not. For much of my time here I have seen articles and news items on Japan published in the US that are just flat out wrong. The issues with Covid reporting are a bit more complex as on the surface they seem accurate. It is fact that we are not living under any government imposed mandates. Most assume that means we are living life as if Covid never existed or with little inconvenience. Sadly, that is not the case.
Not opposed to doing so, but have never done so and have no idea where to start. I have more detailed responses to other substacks posting saved that might be better. The covid countermeasures I am to follow are unbelievable. I have also had a big fight with one employer over wearing masks for online classes. In short, it is nuts over here. I have much longer more posting that detail all of this. What would you like to be the focus? Public restrictions, employer restrictions, the destruction of education?
Just publish in your head...
Japan Update. On Thursday January 20th Japan announced the approval of Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine for children 5 years and up. Originally they planned to start vaccinations for the expanded range or children in February but will roll it out in March due to supply issues. Yesterday was the first day of our 5th Lockdown Light (TM). With the administration of the 3rd shot of Covid vaccine for medical students one of my medical schools has directed the teachers to change policy and content of classes as needed to accommodate students suffering from the side effects of the shot. Medical schools in Japan accept students just after graduation from high school. As the age of majority in Japan is 20, most 1st years students are minors.
Please spread this far and wide. I get getting asked or told how well Japan is handling the panic. I do not know the source nor the paths of the flow of this misinformation but keep stumbling across it. We are entering our 3rd year of all online classes for at least some in secondary education. The 3rd years of primary school students wearing masks and eating alone and in silence at school. The 3rd year or masks, plexiglass barriers and plastic sheeting separating people everywhere. It is complete madness here with no break for for 2 years. Japan is NOT handling it well at all.
Really like the Peter Koenig article and his linked videos. Rational conclusions not clouded by emotion are always useful. High points Dr Sucharit Bakhdi, Dr Michael Yeadon, especially the revealing information about the YGL conspiracy, I was wondering about the current imposter President's connection to the YGL. After viewing the WEF video "..You will own nothing and you will be happy" I have to conclude that recruits to, and graduates from the Youth Global Leaders are gullible idealists who are seduced into a globalist fantasy. I am sure that Klaus Schwab has no problem manipulating them and their performance, for instance Justin Trudeau - his dictatorial state in Canada, and Jacinda Ahern in New Zealand, forcing their consitutents to take what Michael Yeadon describes as "deadly" injections leads me to believe that they are unknowing dupes of a conspiracy that is far above their heads. These bright eyed and bushy tailed go-getters are leading their countries down the road to perdition just as the life-long failure Biden is doing in the U.S. You can't have it both ways, either these people are dead right or they are dead wrong. Does anyone really believe that Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates will "have nothing and be happy" at the end of this process.