Into the World:
The Random Thoughts in My Mind

Tokyoites, living in their train- and bus-filled metropolis, often take for granted that getting from Point A to B within the city takes no more than a few minutes of wait at the local train station or bus stop. Even in the depth of the coronavirus epidemic, the city's trains and buses have continued to run their regular schedules, with little changes beyond keeping windows open for better air circulation. Judging from half-empty trains even during what would normally be considered rush hour, revenues from collecting fares have undoubtedly seen a significant decrease, but that has not changed the operations schedules by much.

A common refrain that is often heard about the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic is that the growth of dense urban areas has in some ways contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. The close proximity in which people live and work, along with the highly developed and extensive transport networks that carry people through and beyond major urban areas have allowed the virus to be transported and exposed at unprecedented speed and range. In other words, in areas that lack major cities, the coronavirus would be less damaging.

The mandatory social distancing rules and government-mandated lockdowns associated with the ongoing coronavirus epidemic has hurt economies around the world as the flows of good, traffic, and capital grind to a halt. But perhaps no industry is suffering during the lockdown more than restaurants, bars, and other establishments that serve readily made food and drinks to the masses. As spots where plenty of people congregate and food are prepared and passed around among different people before being consumed in often densely packed halls, they are rightly viewed by the authorities as potential hotspots for a deadly virus to easily pass among complete strangers.

家醜不可外揚, or "don't tell others about the negatives of one's own family," was a principle that my parents have mentioned upon multiple occasions. They stated that for others to be in on the knowledge of the family"s misfortunes and misconduct will tarnish the family's image so badly that it will be more than just an issue of the usual "losing face" when interacting with others  or bringing embarrassment, ridicule, or shame upon the family. To keep negative information private was often seen as a precondition for the family as a unit and its individual members moving up in the social hierarchy by keeping public reputation squeaky clean.

The prediction about the potential death toll from the coronavirus has become grimmer by the day. With experts in the US predicting that the virus may kill as much as 200,000 people within the country, extrapolation of the prediction to the entire world would see millions perish as the virus continue to rage uncontrollably in corners of the planets that are less capable of implementing measures designed to suppress excessive face-to-face contact among residents without their suffering grave economic consequences. The permanent loss of a significant portion of the world's productive labor force is now not unimaginable.

At first sight, the program seemed like just another travel-themed variety how all too common on Japanese TV in recent years. A group of entertainers, actors, and comedians alike, watched and commented on a video that showed a Japanese chef traveling around the world, checking out local restaurants, and going through the menus. As it is so often the case, the guests at the TV studio bantered about foreign stereotypes and politely but superficially discussed the exotic nature of countries that they frankly have no wishes to ever step onto in their lifetimes.

Yesterday, in a dramatic press conference, Yuriko Koike, the governor of Tokyo, noted that the city is on the cusp of a major spike in the number of new cases of coronavirus infections. As a measure to prevent further spreading of the virus, Koike called on the city's residents to voluntarily refrain from unnecessary outing over the weekend. As an additional measure, she announced the closure of the city's major parks to prevent people from gathering to view cherry blossoms that are blooming at the moment. The country's major news outlets duly reported Koike's press conference as headline news.