As Tokyo Reopens Nightlife, Clubs Become Virus Danger Zones

Extracted from Bloomberg

- Tokyo is seeing infections spike after coming out of a state of emergency last month that helped bring daily cases to single digits. Nearly half of the coronavirus cases reported in the night clubs ins Shinjuku area.

- Although Tokyo encouraged business like host clubs to stay closed until the last phase of re-opening, following the guidance was voluntarily. Many opened earlier.

- By this Friday, Tokyo will lift all restrictions on businesses though individual companies may continue to implement their own guidelines. 

- The rise in infection this week comes as more club and bar workers are being tested after initial clusters were found among them in the first week of June.

- Anonymity is also an issue with Japan’s host and hostess bars. Many customers are reluctant to admit they patronize such clubs, making contact tracking more difficult in infection is found.

- Despite of subsidies offered by the government during the state of emergency, many of the hosts and hostesses that work at the clubs are living paycheck to paycheck.

日本語

東京の夜の街再オープンとともに増えるコロナウィルス感染者

・先週緊急事態宣言が解除されたが、いわゆる夜の街の感染者が、新規感染者の半数を超える日々が続いている。

・これらの店は今週末の最終段階引き上げまで自粛要請対象だが、ほとんどの店が再開している。

・夜の街の感染者はクラスター発生が報告されてから自主的に感染確認を行なっている。

・客の匿名性も一つの問題である。このようなホストクラブやホステスクラブに通う人たちは、申告を避ける傾向にあり、それが余計に追跡しにくい事態となっている。

・政府は緊急事態宣言期間中に休業した店舗等について補助を行っているが、それらはほとんど食事代のみとなる。夜の街で働いている人たちはその日暮らしが多い。