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
minami'hannkyuu
the southern hemisphere
新型コロナウイルスが
sinngata korona'wirusu ga
Covid-nineteen
拡大するなか、
kakudai surunaka,
spreads as
収束に向かい
syuusoku ni mukai
having the situation under control
ながらも、
nagaramo,
in spite of
第二波、
dai'ni'ha,
(a) second
第三波が
dai'sann'pa
or third wave (of infections)
心配
sinnpai
worries (about)
されています。
sareteimasu.
there are
ロックダウンを
rokkudaunn wo
(a) lockdown
しなかった
sinakatta
not having had
にもかかわらず、
nimokakawarazu,
despite
感染者や死傷者が
kannsennsyha ya shishousya ga
(the number of) fatalities and infections
G7国
ji-sebunnkoku
G7 countries
少なかった
sukunakatta
was low
ことが
kotoga
(the) fact that
話題になり、
wadai ni nari,
was much talked about
称賛されました。
syousann saremashita.
praised
その理由は
sono riyuu ha
the reason (for) this
日本人自身にも
nihonnjinn jisinn nimo
Japanese people themselves
わかりません
wakarimasenn
do not know
次のような推測が
tsuginoyouna suisoku ga
(the) following speculations
できます。
dekimasu.
(we) can make
一つは
hitotsuha
one (of the reasons)
生活習慣
seikatsusyuukann
lifestyle
あるかもしれません。
arukamo shiremasenn.
might be down
多くの人が
ookuno hito ga
many people
花粉症
kafunnshou
(from) hay fever
インフルエンザを
innfuruennza wo
(from) influenza
防ぐために
fusegu tameni
to protect (themselves)
外出する
gaishutsu suru
(they) go out
マスクをします。
masuku wo shimasu.
wear a mask
握手
akushu
shaking hands
ハグをする
hagu wo suru
hugging
習慣は
shuukann ha
(is not) customary
ありません。
arimasenn.
nor encouraged
脱ぎます。
nugimasu.
(you) take off
食事の
shokujino
having (a) meal
トイレの
toireno
(going to the) toilet
お風呂に入る
ofuro ni hairu
baths are taken
習慣もあります。
shuukann mo arimasu.
(it) is normal
他にも、
hoka nimo,
other observers
衛生的
eiseiteki
hygiene
トイレは
toire ha
toilet (technologies)
進化している
shinnka shiteiru
evolving
など、
nado,
(which) includes
日本人の
nihonnjinn no
Japanese people’s
清潔好きが
seiketsu zuki ga
love of cleanliness
役割を
yakuwari wo
(a) role
果たしている
hatashiteiru
played
見方があります。
mikata ga arimasu.
believe
罰則がない
bassoku ga nai
(the) fact that (it) was not enforced
にもかかわらず
nimokakawarazu
despite
日本人が
nihonnjinnga
Japanese people
政府の自粛要請に
seifu no jisyuku yousei ni
(the) government’s request for self-restraint
従いました。
shitagai mashita.
complied with
コロナ対策は
korona taisaku ha
Covid-nineteen (the) measures (against)
国民の協力
kokuminn no kyouryoku
(a) country’s populace of (the) cooperation
左右される
sayuusareru
[influenced]
いえるでしょう。
ieru deshou.
(it) could be said
麻生副総理は、
asou fukusouri ha,
Vice-prime Minister Aso
感染者
kannsennsha
people infected
少ないのは
sukunai noha
(there had been) so few
日本人
nihonnjinn
Japanese people’s
民度が
minndo ga
cultural standards
違うと
chigau to
were different
外国人
gaikokujinn
foreign people
説明した
setsumei shita
he had explained (that)
これは
koreha
(his) comments <this>
他国に
takokuni
other countries to
失礼
shitsurei
being disrespectful
批判がありました。
hihann ga arimashita.
some people criticized
一方、
ippou,
on the other hand
海外のリーダーは
kaigai no ri-da-ha
foreign leaders
感染対策が
kannsenn taisaku ga
(they took) successful measures
成功した
seikou shita
against infection
として
toshite
(who) said that
支持率を上げました
shijiritsu wo agemashita
approval ratings for
安倍総理の
abe souri no
Prime Minister Abe
支持率は
shiji'ritsu ha
approval ratings fo
下がりました。
sagari mashita.
fell
政府の
seifu no
its (goverment)
コロナ対策は
korona taisaku ha
counter measures
国民の期待に
kokuminn no kitai ni
their (citizen’s) expectations
応えていないと
kotae te inai to
did not meet
日本人は
nihonnjinn ha
(the) Japanese public
感じています。
kannjite imasu.
felt (that)