Friday, 28 February 2020

Hokkaido and the Coronavirus Part 4

Man with a max holds up a sign: panic ensues!
Not to be out done by a mere prefectural governor, yesterday Japan's prime minister "strongly advised" all elementary, junior high, and high schools in the country to close until the start of the spring holidays (the school year here runs from April until March).
This was a bit of a bolt from the 青い, catching the Ministry of Education by surprise, not to mention the millions of parents across Japan who are now faced with the prospect of their children being at home for the next 6 weeks.
You can only imagine how distraught Cian is at the prospect of having no more school until the beginning of April.
Then tonight the governor of Hokkaido upped the ante by issuing "an Emergency Declaration". An 'Emergency Declaration' that will be in effect for the next 3 weeks. During this time we are to refrain from leaving our homes unless absolutely necessary and not engage in any public gatherings.
Being the bad ass gaijin that I am, I'll be going for a jog tomorrow morning and I will report back on the undoubtedly "eerily empty streets of Muroran" in this very blog.
at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

April - the most stressful month

 And so, with its usual unstoppable momentum, April has rolled around and with it the start of the new school and business year. Sanae must ...

  • Me and 'De Paper'
    My interview with the Hokkaido Shimbun ('De paper') has, courtesy of Sanae's mother 'gone viral', if phoning every relat...
  • Ferroro rocher
    Just in case some of you were thinking, "Begods and begorrah, but that's a glorious blue sunny St. Patrick's Day they enjoyed t...
  • Fragrant Harbour
    I spent last week in Hong Kong, ostensibly attending a conference on things educational. Such events tend to be very hit and miss - for ever...