NEWS
JAPAN TO BAN SERVING OF ALCOHOL IN THE LATEST COVID RESTRICTIVE MEASURES
By Susan Lewis
23-4-2021
Credit: David Mathews
Japan will ban restaurants and bars from serving alcohol in the latest restrictive measures for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, citing expert’s belief that on-premise alcohol consumption can help accelerate transmission of COVID-19.
Under a new state of emergency for 25 April to 11 May, the government will require restaurants, bars, and karaoke parlours serving alcohol to close, and big sporting events to be held without spectators, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said.
"We absolutely have to limit the movement of people, and we have to do it decisively. We need powerful, short and focused measures," Nishimura said.
"When alcohol is involved, people's voices get a lot bigger," said Makoto Tsubokura, who leads a team at research giant Riken and Kobe University that uses supercomputers to model infection situations.
Loud voices, plus lapses in hygiene and a tendency to linger at the bar, all contributed to increased risk of aerosol contagion, Tsubokura added.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the new restrictions after they were formally approved by a government task force today.
Department stores, cinemas and other commercial facilities larger than 1,000 square metres will need to close while companies will be asked to allow staff to work from home.
Schools will remain open. Breaching the restrictions will carry penalties under a recently revised law.
Japan did not impose curbs on alcohol consumption in the two previous pandemic emergency declarations. This is the first time the authorities decided to ban alcohol.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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