Japan ushered in the first working day of the New Year, and office workers wore masks and walked hurriedly. Photographed in front of JR Tokyo Station on January 4. (Kyodo)
[Kyodo News Agency, January 4]Government agencies and most companies across Japan ushered in the first working day of the New Year on the 4th. Unlike last year when the number of new crown infections increased by more than 3,000 in a single day, with the progress of vaccination, workplaces and downtown areas are gradually returning to their previous status. However, it is still unpredictable when the epidemic will subside. The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, local governments, and medical front lines have stepped up vigilance against the spread of the new mutant strain “Omi Keron” in the community.
Near Tokyo Station, many office workers wore down jackets and walked quickly to their work units. A male company employee (58 years old) in Saitama Prefecture, who works nearby, said he took about ten days of rest. He said: “Because I am worried that the new crown will not travel far, I have passed the New Year steadily. I hope the economy will improve this year.”
In Kanda Myojin (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), where business is blessed to prosper, visitors in suits and shoes who came to worship bought a rake that symbolized the accumulation of good fortune. Yuichiro Watanabe (38), an employee of the building maintenance company, said with a smile: “The company is still performing well under the epidemic. I hope it can grow this year, and we can do what we say.”
The Omi Keron community spread frequently around the New Year. An employee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said: “Although I can’t breathe a sigh of relief, I am somewhat relaxed. I hope to work with a new mentality.” The person in charge of Tokyo also emphasized: “I hope to overcome the epidemic this year.”
The 4th is a one-month countdown to the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics. A related person from the Sports Hall said: “We will provide support to the players so that they can give full play to their strength.” (End)
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