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Sakurai's Column #602 begins by discussing how current events are difficult to discuss in this publication, as he often writes in advance of any topical news.
Translator's Note: the following translation is regarding COVID-19 and is more somber than any prior Sakurai column.
Translator's Note: the following translation is regarding COVID-19 and is more somber than any prior Sakurai column.
At the time of writing, Sakurai notes that Japan had cautioned against people going out, but with lacking enforcement – a temporary measure according to some. However, he felt it was only a loose warning and did not capture the crisis at hand.
Over 720,000 had already been infected with 34,000 having died due to the virus. Even now, the infection rate has been increasing and medical institutions have been collapsing under the intense pressure.
1/3 of the world population was already in a state of lockdown, and, in some countries, it seemed if you were to break curfew, you could be beaten or arrested by local police officers.
In Spain, it had already been announced that any unnecessary work was to be prohibited for two weeks. As the trend continued, Sakurai suspected similar announcements would follow across the world.
Sakurai understood the intentions of such measures. Jobs related to public affairs, medical care, daily necessities, public health, transportation and infrastructure were not prohibited, but events, restaurants, and similar services were banned.
Regarding such work, Twitter has been talking about what unnecessary work actually means. Sakurai often sees half-ironic views on the scope such prohibition, with people saying that the world needs such unnecessary work at this time.
Sakurai elaborates on what his opinion of what necessary work generally means to him. Aside from the current crisis, there is no that is entirely unnecessary in our world. If a job exists, then it is a necessary job.
Sakurai hesitates to say the obvious, but having money implies somebody has paid for a service. If we consider that as a fact, it's obvious that such a job is necessary to somebody. There should be no distinction between job categories.
However, during the current crisis, necessary alternatives have been established. Sakurai looks down on antisocial practices such as tricking the buyer or reselling at a high price, but it is still necessary for people to be able to make money and pay for needed services.
Sakurai has no intention of playing word games. For the government, it is important to stop people from gathering as quickly as possible. You can see that they are focusing heavily on what jobs are urgently required. Even if you twist the definition, we still have this crisis.
On the other hand, in Japan, there is a strong sense for office workers, colloquially called salarymen, to go to work no matter what, and it seems that alternatives are not sufficiently available, but that is an entirely separate problem for Japan.
Sakurai adds that he doesn't intend to argue that his work, that of making games, isn't currently unnecessary, nor condemn it because it's unnecessary. It's certainly not a daily necessity, and such entertainment jobs may be the first thing to be cut in such a crisis.
However, Sakurai adds, and hopes you will agree, that it's quite effective to play video games when staying and working at home. Entertainment avenues such as the internet, TV programs, and similar subscription services are important to us all, especially during this crisis.
On the day of writing the article, Sakurai notes it was announced that famous Japanese comedian, Ken Shimura, had died. He may have been the first Japanese celebrity victim. This may have caused some people to finally realize the weight of this crisis.
Sakurai says there are only two things we can do. Avoid contact with people and be take extra precautions, such as washing our hands. Sakurai adds it's difficult to imagine the situation around the time of writing, but we will do our best to be safe.
The column also includes the case number in Japan as of March 30th (1,953 infected, with 56 having died; the current total is 8,100 infected and 146 dead) as well as mention of the state of emergency declaration for seven prefectures in Japan, including Tokyo.
Finally, Sakurai showcases screenshots from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, whose recent release has been a source of fun for us all, despite the current global crisis, and PC Engine game J.J. & Jeff, which Sakurai has been recently playing.
This concludes my translation of Sakurai's Column #602. Special thanks to @JapaneseSwitch for providing me with the latest issue. Please stay safe, and, along with Masahiro Sakurai, we can make it through this crisis together. Thank you for reading.
