DRINKS SERVED AT JAPANESE KARAOKE BAR FULL
“We must provide full support (to the industry), such as business reconstruction subsidies,” Kishida told reporters after holding a round-table meeting with restaurant owners and others at a pub in Tokyo’s Shimbashi district. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meanwhile voiced his intention on Monday to hand out subsidies to help pandemic-battered restaurants and bars rebuild their businesses. At the same time, authorities are planning to use a combination of vaccination certificates and COVID-19 tests to further ease curbs and reopen the economy. Some 67% of Japan’s population is now fully vaccinated, and the government is planning to roll out booster shots this winter. Infections have fallen dramatically from a wave of more than 5,000 a day in August that hammered the capital’s medical infrastructure. It had 24 patients with severe symptoms, less than one-tenth of the peak.Ĭustomers enjoy drinks at a pub in the city of Chiba earlier this month. Tokyo confirmed 36 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the fifth straight day below 50 cases. “We’re not sure if we’ll have as many customers as before,” the official said. The operator of another karaoke chain said it plans to extend its operating hours as soon as the shorter-hour request is lifted.īut an official at an izakaya pub chain was more cautious, saying people’s lifestyles have changed amid the pandemic and that it is uncertain whether they will go bar-hopping late at night like they used to. The town “will be brought back to life,” a karaoke bar staffer said. Customers will be able to dine comfortably, the official said. Restaurants and bars welcomed the plans to lift restrictions.Ī sushi chain official said some customers had to come in haste after work to make it in time before the closure. “We’ll ask for continued basic measures against infections,” he said.
Motohiro Ono called for continued precautions after the restrictions are lifted. The Kanagawa Prefectural Government plans to call for people to eat and drink in small groups of up to four or with family members living in the same house for a maximum of two hours after the restrictions are lifted. He stressed the significance of continuing measures against infections to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus. Toshihito Kumagai said during a news conference. “We aim to prevent a spread of infections while maintaining social and economic activities,” Chiba Gov. Restaurants and bars in Chiba, excluding those meeting strict standards against infections, have been asked to operate for shorter hours with restrictions on alcohol service. The Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectural governments said Wednesday that they will end their requests for shorter hours and allow all local restaurants and bars to serve alcohol, effective Monday. and operate until 9 p.m.Īt certified restaurants, Tokyo will ask people to go in a group of up to four people in principle, but will allow five or more people to sit together if they show certificates of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to metropolitan government officials. Certified businesses have been allowed to serve alcohol until 8 p.m. Of some 120,000 restaurants and bars in the capital, over 100,000 have been certified by the metropolitan government.