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Midori Takeuchi, Consul General for Japan in Denver, presented updates for COVID-19 in Japan. Consul General Takeuchi arrived in Denver in November 2018. She is one of 39 women in Director positions. Her hometown is Nagano City, not far from Longmont's Sister City of Chino, Japan. Japan enforced a state of emergency on April 7, relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. The peak for the virus occurred at the end of July. Today, Japan prohibits visitors from 169 countries. However, people are allowed into Japan under special circumstances and from countries that are experiencing a low infection rate. In-person learning was implemented in June, as Japan is not ready for online classes. The summer vacation for students was shortened, and today, school teachers give assignments for students to complete. Japan has experienced 1,296 deaths from COVID, and residents are asked to avoid the three Cs - closed atmosphere, crowded conditions and close conversations. Although it is custom for people to wear masks in Japan and there is no law to require people to wear masks,, the government strongly advises people to wear masks. The country has approved over $2 trillion in stimulus money to assist residents and businesses, which represents 40% of Japan's annual GDP. The highest unemployment in the country was 2.9% in May. The Prime Minister of Japan had two cloth masks delivered to every resident in May! |
