posted on June 9, 2020

  Two weeks after the government fully lifted the state of emergency, residents and businesses in Tokyo are transitioning back to normal. Restaurants and shops are allowed to stay open longer than before. Schools, libraries, museums, movie theaters and some theme parks have introduced new guidelines as they reopened. The famous Shibuya scramble crossing has seen quite a lot of people returning, while wearing masks. The so-called “new normal” seems to have widely become a part of everyday life in Japan. Examples of this include regularly washing and sanitizing hands, placing protective screens at service windows and cashiers, and adding floor-markers in the stores to remind keeping social distance. The risk of a resurgence of coronavirus infections currently seems quite low across the country, however, taking preventive measures is essential to continue resuming social and economic activities.