Tokyo: Lessons in restraint
Japan finds itself in a quandary facing most of the world today; economic vs. physical health. President Abe recently highlighted the detriment a lockdown would have to Japan’s economy. With the world looking on, Japan has perplexingly continued life without lockdown, with comparatively low infection rates. We take a look at how the famously work obsessed nation is navigating work and home life - before the inevitable hits.
There’s an eerily quiet bustle in the school corridor. Murmured voices behind hygiene masks and the shuffling of tiny feet can be heard as children are signed in by their parents at Kitaurawa Elementary School. Located North of Tokyo, they are offering an alternative for parents since schools were shut down by the government. It acts as a makeshift daycare, with parents bringing their own supplies and lesson plans.
“I don’t mind it too much, I like reading on my own anyway. I’m just trying to not get infected.”
11-year-old Manoka sanitises her hands at one of the school health checkpoints. Her mum’s worried about her extremely competitive school entry exams on the horizon. Her school is reduced and her after school classes cancelled. Children in face masks study silently, they’re sitting apart from one-another maintaining a safe distance. They are even assigned their own rooms to keep family groups separate.
“His daycare is not that spacious so kids could be at higher risk of illness from tumbling around together at play. So he’s working in my office for now.”
Yuji has found another workaround for the school closures. He works at his desk-job as his son Haruma reads his school book on a playmat. He’s converted his senior manager’s office into an improvised nursery, where his son can study and play while he works. He’s setup a playmat, toys and made a place at his meeting table for Haruma to work along side him. Haruma, 9 seems to be enjoying spending time with his dad, sneaking in the occasional video game session together, but confesses that he misses his friends.
“I am worried as much about my son missing kindergarten as I am about the virus. Children need to exercise, and play outside. But our kids are our treasure, so we can’t take risks.”
Ayako babysits her client’s 4 year old son and her own children at home. The boy’s mum had to rely on a babysitter after their kindergarten shut down. Both his parents work in elderly care so couldn’t feasibly work from home. His mum at pickup say she wonders how long the situation will continue, and debates if the government should have prioritised the elderly - Japan has the world’s most ageing population. This is one of the many debates ongoing on as Japan shows far more restraint, arguably stubbornness, when delaying the more extreme measures that many other developed nations have put in place.
Photography by Shiho Fukada