Don't leave Japan if you want to come back

[Beaglehound]

And the idiot governor here (Ishikawa), invites 'symptomless' people to come:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20 ... na/017000c

Oh dear, he doesn’t look the brightest in that picture and by opening his mouth he confirmed it.

[mule96]

Each country has it different set of measures, but denying entrance for a foreigner who legally lives here is at least something that I don't see in countries I often deal with it. It seems a little bit unfair and even considering how many Japanese also returned from foreign travel trips when the virus was already spreading widely, not a measure that will help much imo.

I fully agree that it is a stupid idea to travel currently, but there are always unforeseen circumstances.

[N00bster]

Each country has it different set of measures, but denying entrance for a foreigner who legally lives here is at least something that I don't see in countries I often deal with it. It seems a little bit unfair and even considering how many Japanese also returned from foreign travel trips when the virus was already spreading widely, not a measure that will help much imo.

It is also stupid and and cruel considering there are families (including Japanese kids - well as long as "halfs" are still considered Japanese ) that will be separated until who-knows-when because some emergency situation required one of them to leave the country. Japanese nationals who travel are just as likely as anyone else to come back with the virus, and self-quarantine for everyone would have been just as efficient a protection measure.

This punishment on visa holders makes even less sense when you see the faces of the morons doing hanami on TV. The foreigners I know are basically doing a self-imposed confinement whenever their job allows. And why whouldn't they when they see what is happening in their home country. It's the Japanese themselves who have been negligent and let the situation turn awry.

[adamu]

They do state that they will accommodate exceptional circumstances, and they also said that that includes if you went away before the announcement.

I agree it's unpleasant and worrying to see different treatment and it's good to keep an eye on it, but also need to keep things in perspective.

There is probably not enough action being taken now due to legal barriers, but it makes sense that those things that can be enforced under current regulations are.

[N00bster]

They do state that they will accommodate exceptional circumstances, and they also said that that includes if you went away before the announcement.

Do we have more information on what consitutes an "exceptional circumstance", and how it should be justified? I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt here, and if indeed the cases I covered above are considered "exceptional circumstances" then the move is much easier to accept.

In particular, provided that one can justify "exceptional circumstances" to leave the country, can one get reassurance of reentry before leaving, or do we need to wish that the immigration officer will be compliant?

[RetireJapan]

The question I have is how is the new normal going to be after?

That is the interesting question. Are we going to travel as much? Will we still encourage tourism? Will small businesses survive/start up again? Will people (even more) wear masks all the time and avoid strangers?

The Great Depression marked the people that went through it, will the Covid Pandemic do the same?

A lot of that will depend on how long this goes on for

[RetireJapan]

For me things will be normal again when I will be able without hesitation to greet someone I don’t know what something as basic as a handshake.

I suspect handshakes might be gone for good now, at least in Asia.

[eyeswideshut]

This really grinds my gears as there is no practical reason for treating non-citizen residents differently than citizens. It strikes me as blatant xenophobia which stings for those of us who have lived here for decades paying our taxes and raising families here. The xenophobes will say 'why don't you just naturalize' and the answer that most of us probably would if we didn't have to give up citizenship in our home country.

[adamu]

there is no practical reason for treating non-citizen residents differently than citizens

There is, and it's because they *can't* restrict citizens constitutionally, but they can restrict non-citizens. Maybe I'm naive but I really think it's a case of practical decision making given the extraordinary circumstances.

[RetireJapan]

there is no practical reason for treating non-citizen residents differently than citizens

There is, and it's because they *can't* restrict citizens constitutionally, but they can restrict non-citizens. Maybe I'm naive but I really think it's a case of practical decision making given the extraordinary circumstances.

I don't agree, and I really don't like the precedent that is being set. It's all part of the 'foreign' narrative we're seeing (as opposed to community transmission in country).

Not a million miles away from the Diet members calling for financial assistance to be limited to Japanese nationals, or more generally restaurants putting up 'Japanese only' signs ostensibly as a Covid-19 response.

In contrast, here is the US version: "American citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their families who have been in one of the countries listed below in the past 14 days will be allowed to enter the United States" (but will of course be tested and quarantined, as will happen to Japanese nationals returning to Japan).