As of April 16, 2020, the novel coronavirus has spread and raged around the world, and the situation is changing day by day. On February 3 of this year, a large cruise ship docked in Yokohama1 . This was the beginning of Japan's fight against an invisible and yet not fully known "enemy." In order to prevent the spread of infection, schools were closed and events were requested to be refrained from in March. In March, entry and exit restrictions across Europe, including Italy and Spain, became stricter, and in reaction, Latin American countries took similar measures. Eventually, national and state-specific lockdowns were implemented, and in some countries, nighttime curfews accompanied by military guards were issued. We, the general public, were encouraged to take preventive measures such as washing our hands properly, wearing masks, ventilating rooms, avoiding the three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact situations), and refraining from going out as much as possible. However, the coronavirus continues to rage around the world, and in recent weeks, the internet has seen a series of harsh criticisms of the Japanese government's slow response, with people asking, "Why doesn't the Japanese government declare a state of emergency and lock down the country? 2 " There have even been conspiracy theories that the government is hiding the number of infected and dead people. Meanwhile, on the evening of April 7, the Japanese government issued a state of emergency declaration, mainly in urban areas, and expanded it to the entire country on the 16th.
Currently, there are just under 260,000 Japanese people living in Japan, of which 206,886 are Brazilian and 48,517 are Peruvian (as of June 2019). 3 Japanese people from these two countries account for more than 90% of the entire Japanese community in Japan. There is also ethnic media in Spanish and Portuguese, and free magazines are available at South American stores and restaurants. There are also FM radio programs streamed online, and community organization websites linked to Facebook. Local governments and international exchange associations provide living information in multiple languages.
However, in an abnormal situation like this, people are more conscious of their own country's media reports than usual and can be misled by sensational topics. In fact, there are various opinions and speculations about the new coronavirus circulating in the media and on social media, but it is difficult to obtain the accurate information that is truly necessary, and it cannot be denied that TV talk shows are also inciting anxiety. Sometimes people share fragmented information on social media before properly sorting it out. Furthermore, unfounded rumors are sometimes posted there, leading to terrible results.
In this situation, many Japanese Latinos in Japan seemed to be complying with Japan's "self-restraint" measures, perhaps because they were aware of information from their home countries. However, for those from South America, there is also an aspect of a sense of security in Japan, where the universal health insurance system that is not available in their home countries, and where mask use has been common for some time and the city is kept clean. Perhaps because of this, some Japanese Latinos and groups are scorning Japan's "self-restraint" measures and holding live concerts and religious events.
In fact, I was consulted by an acquaintance who said, "I want to cancel such events, can't the police or the health center stop them?" A Peruvian cumbia artist was planning to return to Lima via Paris after performing in Spain and Italy in February, but he changed his plans a little and came to Kanagawa in mid-March, relying on relatives and acquaintances in Japan. At that time, the Peruvian Consulates General in Tokyo and Nagoya had already requested self-restraint, but he suddenly announced that he would hold live performances in six locations (Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Mie, Aichi, Tokyo, and Shizuoka). I think he wanted to earn some money, but another friend who returned to Lima from Paris was found to be infected with the coronavirus, and he was flooded with a huge backlash and protests from his compatriots in Japan. In the end, he canceled all of his live performances. Another acquaintance said that he saw a notice last Sunday (April 5th) that an evangelical sect in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture was holding a service indoors. However, he contacted the local government, the health center, and the Brazilian Consulate General, but was unable to stop it.
Some Japanese-Americans are calling for measures like those in South America, such as detaining, arresting, and criminally punishing those who violate the curfew (enforced home quarantine), as well as seizing cars used to go out without permission, 4 but these are legally impossible in Japan at present. The Japanese government's response, which is so far removed from that of other countries, is only increasing the confusion and anxiety of Japanese-American Latinos.
In the midst of this, Brazilians and Peruvians are calling for improved awareness within their communities through their own media in line with Japan's request for self-restraint. Some people are seen partying in large groups and engaging in behavior that goes against the "three Cs" (closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact). Some media outlets are publishing photos of these events to warn people not to become infection clusters. Meanwhile, heartwarming news has been published about two Brazilian women donating 600 handmade masks to Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture.5 Such behavior sets a good example for society and the community.
Using my past experiences, I use social media to provide information to Japanese people in Japan. During the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, I compiled articles and videos distributed by Japanese media in Spanish and posted only the main points on Facebook, and also reported the situation to media in Buenos Aires, Lima, and other places via Skype. This time, I was interviewed by the Buenos Aires women's magazine "Para Tí" about the coronavirus in Japan, so I posted the article6 on social media. I also posted an easy-to-understand explanation in Spanish of the Japanese government's "State of Emergency Declaration7 " using diagrams and illustrations. Both posts received a great response and were quickly shared by many people.
As of April 16, there is no information that Japanese people in Japan have been infected with COVID-198. However , it seems that many Japanese people have had their contracts not renewed or their shifts changed due to the impact of COVID-19. If the state of emergency declaration is expanded, many service sector businesses will have to close, which will undoubtedly affect employment, and the impact on Latinos in Japan cannot be ignored9 . The International Labor Organization ( ILO ) warned a few days ago that the current pandemic could cause nearly 200 million workers around the world to lose their jobs, resulting in serious unemployment problems10.
The Japanese government announced 108 trillion yen, roughly the same amount as the fiscal year budget and 20% of the country's gross domestic product, as part of its COVID-19 economic countermeasures. The money will be used to maintain employment and provide financial support to companies, as well as to provide grants to freelancers and low-income earners. I plan to understand the details of the measures and provide as much information as possible to Japanese people. I hope to play a role in disseminating information, just as I did in 2008 (the Lehman Shock) and 2011 (the Great East Japan Earthquake).
Japan has responded to the spread of infection so far by early detection of clusters, early diagnosis of patients and treatment of the seriously ill, and self-restraint among citizens. Since April, Tokyo and Osaka have taken measures to have people with mild symptoms recuperate in hotels or at home.12 It is still unclear how the infection will be contained in the future, but considering the situation in South America, such as the number of infected people and deaths, the increase in people violating stay-at-home orders, and the fragile medical system and exhausted medical front lines, even if the current situation worsens and becomes a long-term battle, many Japanese people in Japan need to be even more determined to continue to persevere and stay regular, while still having faith in Japan's systems and government measures.
Notes:
1. Initially, the government's response to the 3,700 passengers was criticized both at home and abroad, but of the 711 infected and 11 dead, the seriously ill were hospitalized, and after completing the quarantine period, they were sent back to their home countries on charter flights. There were similar cases in other countries, but the other countries did not allow the passengers to dock, and the response was quite sloppy, so now Japan's response is being given a certain degree of praise.
Osamu Kunii, " Was the quarantine of the cruise ship a failure? Experts discuss ideals and reality " (Newsweek Japan, March 4, 2020)
2. On the evening of April 7, 2020, Prime Minister Abe issued a state of emergency declaration for seven local governments. Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. A few days later, Aichi, Gifu, and Kyoto also declared a state of emergency on a prefectural level, and are calling for measures to be taken within the national framework. Hokkaido enacted its own state of emergency from February to March, and other local governments may decide on more stringent restrictive measures in the future (as of April 10, 2020). On April 12, Hokkaido and Sapporo City, where the state of emergency had been lifted, held an emergency press conference and decided to refrain from going out and to close elementary, junior high, and high schools. Then, on April 16, the declaration was expanded to the entire country. It is expected that various regulations and support will be unified.
3. Ministry of Justice, " Statistics on Foreign Residents (Formerly Registered Foreign Residents) "
4. According to local media, between mid-March and early April, there were 50,000 cases of unauthorized movement violations in Peru and over 100,000 cases in Argentina, forcing police, prosecutors, and judges in charge to overwhelm the situation. In Italy and Spain, a significant number of people have traveled not only within the areas under mandatory curfew, but also to other European countries.
" Coronavirus in Peru: More than 51 million deaths from the outbreak of Islamabad social welfare reform ," ( El Comercio, April 6, 2020)
" Amantes, fighters and assassins: the excuses for preventing the Islamic crisis ," ( Infobae , April 8, 2020)
5. " Brazilians donate handmade masks to Kosai City " (Chunichi Shimbun, Shizuoka, April 3, 2020)
6. A well-known magazine in Argentina, whose editor-in-chief is Paula Ikeda, who is of Japanese descent. She wrote an interview article titled, “ Japan vs the Coronavirus: Accidents for coping (and errors that can be avoided ).”
7. Prime Minister Abe's press conference on the state of emergency declaration 2020.4.07
Spanish
8. On April 14, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that many employees at Murata Manufacturing in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, had been infected with the coronavirus, but many Japanese-Brazilians work there. As of April 16, it has not been confirmed that any Japanese-Brazilians have been infected.
" Izumo City = Coronavirus infections reported at Murata Manufacturing = Many Brazilians working in Japan " (Nikkei Shimbun, April 16, 2020)
9. In Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Suzuka City, Aichi Prefecture, it has been reported that Japanese-Brazilians are seeking advice and applying for employment insurance due to the termination of their contracts.
" 'No jobs': Brazilian in Hamamatsu; daughter drops out of school due to reduced income, but 'I want to recover together with Japan' " (Teleshizu, April 15, 2020)
" Foreign workers line up to apply for unemployment insurance at Suzuka Hello Work " (Chunichi Shimbun, April 16, 2020)
10. According to the April 7, 2020 edition of the newspaper El Pais , the ILO predicts that 200 million people will be unemployed, but one month ago the impact of COVID-19 on employment was 25 million.
11. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, " Related to COVID-19 "
Information including support for small and medium-sized enterprises: " To all business operators affected by COVID-19 "
12. As of April 10, there are 1.5 million infected people and 90,000 deaths worldwide. In Japan, there are approximately 5,400 infected people, 88 deaths, and 685 people who have recovered. " Summary of the new coronavirus infection "
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Sites that publish on social media and the web in Spanish
- NHK World-Japan
- Latin American Mercado (facebook)
- news.jp
- Revista Latin-a
- Revista Latin-a (Facebook)
- Portal Mie Español (news)
- Portal Mie Español (Facebook)
- News from Japan
- News Nippon (facebook)
© 2020 Alberto J. Matsumoto
