Delighted to discover that the Japanese Prime Minister's idea of emergency shutdown is politely asking people to stay at home -- which, as this is Japan, would work IF they were offering any support for small businesses, which they have instead forcefully refused.

So: businesses should close, but do not have to. Big businesses can survive a shutdown and many are choosing to (good on them!) but Japan is a land of tiny little restaurants and bars, often the owner's retirement livelihood. If they close *they will go bankrupt*. They *cannot*.

So in short he's asking people to close their businesses, but also refusing to make it possible. Add that to the deeply ingrained post-work bar-and-restaurant culture, and this 'emergency shutdown' is going to do *nothing*. It can't, until Abe takes this seriously.

And I think it's going to take a lot of dead people before he will.

Thankfully, my job has pivoted to WFH. My income is going to drop considerably, but I'm grateful. I'll just wash my hands a lot and be careful, and try to not be one of the numbers that might change his mind.