Evaluation of Counter  Measures Taken Against  Covid-19

Close Up Japan | コロナ対策と評価

Evaluation of Counter Measures Taken Against Covid-19

As Covid-19 spreads in the southern hemisphere, in spite of having the situation under control, there are worries in Japan about a second or third wave of infections. Despite not having had a lockdown, the fact that the number of fatalities and infections in Japan was very low compared to other G7 countries was much talked about and praised. Japanese people themselves do not know the reason for this, but we can make the following speculations: One of the reasons might be down to lifestyle. In Japan, many people wear a mask when they go out to protect themselves from hay fever or from influenza. In addition, shaking hands or hugging is not customary, nor encouraged. When you enter a house, you take off your shoes. It is normal to wash your hands before having a meal or after going to the toilet and baths are taken every day. Other observers believe that Japanese people's love of cleanliness, which includes bathroom hygiene and evolving toilet technologies, played a major role. In addition, most Japanese people complied with the government’s request for “self-restraint” despite the fact that it was not enforced. It could be said that the measures against Covid-19 largely depend on the cooperation of a country's populace. When asked why there had been so few deaths and people infected in Japan, Vice-prime Minister ASO said that he had explained to foreign people that Japanese people’s cultural standards were different. However, some people criticized his comments for being disrespectful to other countries. On the other hand, while foreign leaders who said that they took successful measures against infection saw their approval ratings rise, approval ratings for Japan’s Prime Minister ABE drastically fell. The Japanese public felt that its counter measures did not meet their expectations.

南半球みなみはんきゅう
minami'hannkyuu
the southern hemisphere
de
in
新型しんがたコロナウイルスころなうぃるす
sinngata korona'wirusu ga
Covid-nineteen
拡大かくだいするなか、
kakudai surunaka,
spreads as
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
では
deha
in
収束しゅうそくかい
syuusoku ni mukai
having the situation under control
ながらも、
nagaramo,
in spite of
だい
dai'ni'ha,
(a) second
だいさん
dai'sann'pa
or third wave (of infections)
心配しんぱい
sinnpai
worries (about)
されています。
sareteimasu.
there are
ロックダウンろっくだうん
rokkudaunn wo
(a) lockdown
しなかった
sinakatta
not having had
にもかかわらず、
nimokakawarazu,
despite
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
では
deha
in
感染者かんせんしゃ死傷者ししょうしゃ
kannsennsyha ya shishousya ga
(the number of) fatalities and infections
ほか
hokano
other
G7国じーせぶんこく
ji-sebunnkoku
G7 countries
ni
to
くらべて
kurabete
compared
非常ひじょう
hijyouni
very
すくなかった
sukunakatta
was low
ことが
kotoga
(the) fact that
話題わだいになり、
wadai ni nari,
was much talked about
また
mata
and
称賛しょうさんされました。
syousann saremashita.
praised
その理由りゆう
sono riyuu ha
the reason (for) this
日本人にほんじん自身じしんにも
nihonnjinn jisinn nimo
Japanese people themselves
わかりません
wakarimasenn
do not know
が、
ga,
but
つぎのような推測すいそく
tsuginoyouna suisoku ga
(the) following speculations
できます。
dekimasu.
(we) can make
ひとつは
hitotsuha
one (of the reasons)
生活せいかつ習慣しゅうかん
seikatsusyuukann
lifestyle
ni
to
あるかもしれません。
arukamo shiremasenn.
might be down
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
では、
deha,
in
おおくのひと
ookuno hito ga
many people
花粉症かふんしょう
kafunnshou
(from) hay fever
ya
or
インフルエンザいんふるえんざ
innfuruennza wo
(from) influenza
ふせぐために
fusegu tameni
to protect (themselves)
外出がいしゅつする
gaishutsu suru
(they) go out
ときに
tokini
when
マスクますくをします。
masuku wo shimasu.
wear a mask
また、
mata,
in addition
握手あくしゅ
akushu
shaking hands
ya
nor
ハグはぐをする
hagu wo suru
hugging
習慣しゅうかん
shuukann ha
(is not) customary
ありません。
arimasenn.
nor encouraged
いえ
ieni
(a) house
はい
hairu
(you) enter
ときは
tokiha
when
くつ
kutsuwo
(your) shoes
脱ぎぬぎます。
nugimasu.
(you) take off
食事しょくじ
shokujino
having (a) meal
まえ
mae
before
ya
or
トイレといれ
toireno
(going to the) toilet
あとには
ato niha
after
te wo
(your) hands
あらい、
arai,
to wash and
毎日まいにち
mainichi
every day
風呂ふろはい
ofuro ni hairu
baths are taken
習慣しゅうかんもあります。
shuukann mo arimasu.
(it) is normal
ほかにも、
hoka nimo,
other observers
風呂ふろ
ofuro ga
bathroom
衛生的えいせいてき
eiseiteki
hygiene
de
and
トイレといれ
toire ha
toilet (technologies)
進化しんかしている
shinnka shiteiru
evolving
など、
nado,
(which) includes
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn no
Japanese people’s
清潔せいけつきが
seiketsu zuki ga
love of cleanliness
おおきな
ookina
major
役割やくわり
yakuwari wo
(a) role
たしている
hatashiteiru
played
との
tono
that
見方みかたがあります。
mikata ga arimasu.
believe
また、
mata,
in addition
罰則ばっそくがない
bassoku ga nai
(the) fact that (it) was not enforced
にもかかわらず
nimokakawarazu
despite
ほとんどの
hotonndono
most
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinnga
Japanese people
政府せいふ自粛じしゅく要請ようせい
seifu no jisyuku yousei ni
(the) government’s request for self-restraint
したがいました。
shitagai mashita.
complied with
コロナころな対策たいさく
korona taisaku ha
Covid-nineteen (the) measures (against)
国民こくみん協力きょうりょく
kokuminn no kyouryoku
(a) country’s populace of (the) cooperation
ni
depend on
おおきく
ookiku
largely
左右さゆうされる
sayuusareru
[influenced]
to
that
いえるでしょう。
ieru deshou.
(it) could be said
麻生あそう副総理ふくそうりは、
asou fukusouri ha,
Vice-prime Minister Aso
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
in
感染者かんせんしゃ
kannsennsha
people infected
ya
and
死者ししゃ
sisha ga
deaths
すくないのは
sukunai noha
(there had been) so few
なぜかと
nazekato
why
かれた
kikareta
asked
とき、
toki,
when
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
Japanese people’s
no
of
民度みんど
minndo ga
cultural standards
ちがうと
chigau to
were different
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
foreign people
には
niha
to
説明せつめいした
setsumei shita
he had explained (that)
to
that
いました。
iimashita.
said
しかし、
shikashi,
however
これは
koreha
(his) comments <this>
他国たこく
takokuni
other countries to
失礼しつれい
shitsurei
being disrespectful
だと
dato
for
批判ひはんがありました。
hihann ga arimashita.
some people criticized
一方いっぽう
ippou,
on the other hand
海外かいがいのリーダーは
kaigai no ri-da-ha
foreign leaders
感染かんせん対策たいさく
kannsenn taisaku ga
(they took) successful measures
成功せいこうした
seikou shita
against infection
として
toshite
(who) said that
支持率しじりつげました
shijiritsu wo agemashita
approval ratings for
が、
ga,
while
日本にほん
nihonn no
Japan’s
安倍あべ総理そうり
abe souri no
Prime Minister Abe
支持率しじりつ
shiji'ritsu ha
approval ratings fo
おおきくきく
ookiku
drastically
がりました。
sagari mashita.
fell
政府せいふ
seifu no
its (goverment)
コロナころな対策たいさく
korona taisaku ha
counter measures
国民こくみん期待きたい
kokuminn no kitai ni
their (citizen’s) expectations
こたえていないと
kotae te inai to
did not meet
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn ha
(the) Japanese public
かんじています。
kannjite imasu.
felt (that)

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