Now, I live in Sapporo, the sprawling capital of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido is slightly larger than Sri Lanka, but only has a population of five million, and Sapporo has two million of them.
The coronavirus arrived in Japan with a bang, when the cruise ship “Diamond Princess” docked at Yokohama harbor on February 3, carrying around 4000 passengers and crew. The ship had to be quarantined because a passenger who got off earlier in Hong Kong had tested positive for the virus. Eventually, 705 aboard were found to be infected, the ship becoming known as “a floating petri dish”.
In addition to this number, Japan now has 425+ infected cases, of whom seven have died. Hokkaido has reported 98 infections and some deaths. Ten days ago, Hokkaido’s Governor declared a state of Emergency and requested everyone to stay at home over the weekend. Nationwide, schools are closed.
This being winter, and being retired, I have little need to go out. My wife and I can no longer attend concerts and art exhibitions because they are cancelled, and going out to eat means carefully selecting the time and restaurant. Shopping is only for groceries and other essentials. Whenever we go out, we wear face masks.
Even before the virus outbreaks, face masks were a common sight in Japan. People wore them when they had the slightest sign of even the common cold, to prevent others from being infected. But, almost everyone is wearing one now, which has led to a severe shortage of face masks. I managed to buy some before the neighborhood drug stores ran out. The Japanese are famously stoic in their politeness and I have not seen the scramble for toilet paper, instant noodles, and fresh food, seen in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and even Europe and North America. But the government has been criticized for mishandling the “Diamond Princess” outbreak and for not stopping travelers from China and Korea from entering Japan. The cherry blossom festival and the Tokyo Olympic games are in jeopardy.
I am not a practicing Catholic, but, a few months ago, began to attend the English language service at the Sapporo Catholic cathedral, so I could meet other expatriates. The English-speaking congregation is small, about 30 regular attendees at most, but every Sunday the church attracted Catholic tourists from countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, who had come to experience the snow in Hokkaido. Mainland Chinese tourists, curious about Christian rituals, also came in, filling the back pews, taking photographs. The cathedral has now suspended services, and I miss Father Ray’s humor tinged homilies, the harmonious music and hymns, and the soothing calmness of prayer.
I spend time reading, writing, and watching TV. The New Yorker magazine floods my inbox with all types of articles, including six stories by and about Haruki Murakami, one of my favorite writers, all on one recent day. The endless US election campaign provides a break from the news of wars, fires, and the virus on TV. But what we most enjoy are the long, exhilarating treks at the nearby Moerenuma Park, designed by the renowned sculptor Isamu Noguchi, where the endless snowy landscape provides welcome tranquility and beauty during these troubled times. Evergreen pines and silver birch trees provide a lovely backdrop, and only the occasional skier or trekker interrupts the silence and solitude. This is Japan’s winter at its best.
A professor at the Hokkaido University’s medical school, who specializes in statistical modeling of infectious diseases, recently stated that the actual number of cases in Hokkaido could be ten times the reported number. This is alarming to me, because I fit right into the most vulnerable category – an elderly person with a chronic health condition.
So, while keeping my fingers crossed, I am face-masked again.
No comments:
Post a Comment