Government Wants 20 Million Foreign Tourists In 2020

[Mike Oxlong]

Fortunately America is there to lead the world to cultural enlightenment!

[Russell]

What did I just watch?

[matsuki]

People without internet access trying to entertain themselves?

[Mike Oxlong]

Japan to speed up departure procedure for foreign travelers
Facial-recognition gates to replace immigration officers in departure halls

The lines foreigners have to stand in to depart Japan may be eased -- just a little -- as automated gates will be introduced at airports across the country to speed up immigration checks. As a result, arrival lines might also be shortened.

The gates will use facial recognition technology to identify departing travelers. Faces will be compared to passport photos. The system was originally rolled out for Japanese travelers, but the Justice Ministry has decided to use it for foreigners as well.

As the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has swelled, immigration counters in departure lounges have been swamped, forcing already anxious travelers to wait in long lines.

Passport control is among several airport choke points. Travelers must also check in, drop off their luggage, go through a security screening, pass a customs inspection and have their passports checked one last time before boarding.

The new technology will free up immigration officers to work in crowded arrival halls.

Although it has been reserved for Japanese travelers only, the automated service has already cut the amount of time foreign tourists entering Japan have to wait. About 80% of the foreign visitors arriving at Narita International Airport, outside Tokyo, in January were able to pass through immigration within 20 minutes, a 4 percentage point improvement from a year earlier.

The ministry will prepare a revised ordinance so that automated gates will start operating for departing foreign travelers as early as next month at airports most ready to handle the system and by March for other gateways.

The system will be initially introduced at Japan's five largest airports. Other airports that already have automated gates installed will also be able to use them for foreign travelers.

Only visitors on short-term stays of up to 90 days will be allowed to use the gates.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan ... -travelers

[wuchan]

Japan to speed up departure procedure for foreign travelers
Facial-recognition gates to replace immigration officers in departure halls

The lines foreigners have to stand in to depart Japan may be eased -- just a little -- as automated gates will be introduced at airports across the country to speed up immigration checks. As a result, arrival lines might also be shortened.

The gates will use facial recognition technology to identify departing travelers. Faces will be compared to passport photos. The system was originally rolled out for Japanese travelers, but the Justice Ministry has decided to use it for foreigners as well.

As the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has swelled, immigration counters in departure lounges have been swamped, forcing already anxious travelers to wait in long lines.

Passport control is among several airport choke points. Travelers must also check in, drop off their luggage, go through a security screening, pass a customs inspection and have their passports checked one last time before boarding.

The new technology will free up immigration officers to work in crowded arrival halls.

Although it has been reserved for Japanese travelers only, the automated service has already cut the amount of time foreign tourists entering Japan have to wait. About 80% of the foreign visitors arriving at Narita International Airport, outside Tokyo, in January were able to pass through immigration within 20 minutes, a 4 percentage point improvement from a year earlier.

The ministry will prepare a revised ordinance so that automated gates will start operating for departing foreign travelers as early as next month at airports most ready to handle the system and by March for other gateways.

The system will be initially introduced at Japan's five largest airports. Other airports that already have automated gates installed will also be able to use them for foreign travelers.

Only visitors on short-term stays of up to 90 days will be allowed to use the gates.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan ... -travelers

How many other countries have exit immigration? I am trying to think of one other place but I can't.

[matsuki]

This is different from the express lane you can register for where it's "fully automated" .....but you still need an immigration officer to check your zairyu card and stamp your passport?

US definitely has no exit immigration...

[Russell]

This is different from the express lane you can register for where it's "fully automated" .....but you still need an immigration officer to check your zairyu card and stamp your passport?

US definitely has no exit immigration...

I think the US is the exception.

[yanpa]

Yeah... I remember the one and only time I visited the USA, sitting on the aeroplane pointed west over the Pacific and suddenly wondering how the hell they would know I left the country.

Though I have the feeling the Untied Kipperdom of Brexitania has done away with those, can't be sure as it's been a while since I've been there.

[matsuki]

Could be the exception but consider the fact that when you arrive and scan your passport, they already know your personal and flight info. The authorities are well aware when you leave, there's just no need to make you line up to confirm it. One person I know who overstayed her visa was allowed to leave without issue but the overstay was noted so the next time she tried to visit the US she was denied entry and told she would not be allowed back in for 3 or 5 years as a penalty for her overstay (can't remember the exact period but she was allowed back in after it passed.)

[Buraku]

Japan to consider when to restart 'Go To Travel' tourism campaign
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20 ... na/039000c

[matsuki]

Japan to consider when to restart 'Go To Travel' tourism campaign
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20 ... na/039000c

Get those surfboards out, the next wave is a comin'

[Buraku]

Japan extends entry ban on foreign arrivals

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news ... ries/1860/

[matsuki]

Japan extends entry ban on foreign arrivals

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news ... ries/1860/

So I finally escaped Covid Jail yesterday. Now the fun begins. At least with my new drone I can have some fun while I'm confined to home.

On a more serious note, the shiyakusho was blowing up my phone and then started e-mailing me. They are crazy concerned over me reporting a sore throat....but TIJ so also completely unaware I was in Covid Jail and been tested 4 times at that point...it's now 5. Somehow I managed to not get the 'rona despite a few close contacts. :think: The 18yo in me says I'm invincible, the 41yo in me says the vitamin d worked.

[Wage Slave]

... the 41yo in me says the vitamin d worked.

Firstly, good news you avoided it - I have a feeling most people are going to catch it soon whether they realise it or not.

Don't get me wrong, I've been taking vitamin D during the winter since 2019 because I don't get much sunshine on bare skin. However, I don't think it will protect me from Covid or any other virus. It will remove that potential weakness but that's as good as it gets. I will just be normally vulnerable rather than especially vulnerable. And if I ramp up the dose past what the body wants or needs I will just succeed in getting expensive, vitamin rich urine.

I would say look to a vaccine if you want protection from infection as well as protection from developing serious symptoms but it appears the latest variant is not very fazed as far as infection and transmission is concerned. Prepare to be infected and hope your immune system, as enhanced by vaccines, keeps you out of hospital.

[matsuki]

... the 41yo in me says the vitamin d worked.

Firstly, good news you avoided it - I have a feeling most people are going to catch it soon whether they realise it or not.

Don't get me wrong, I've been taking vitamin D during the winter since 2019 because I don't get much sunshine on bare skin. However, I don't think it will protect me from Covid or any other virus. It will remove that potential weakness but that's as good as it gets. I will just be normally vulnerable rather than especially vulnerable. And if I ramp up the dose past what the body wants or needs I will just succeed in getting expensive, vitamin rich urine.

I would say look to a vaccine if you want protection from infection as well as protection from developing serious symptoms but it appears the latest variant is not very fazed as far as infection and transmission is concerned. Prepare to be infected and hope your immune system, as enhanced by vaccines, keeps you out of hospital.

Total agreement with you on most people catching it...and a not so insignificant amount of them not even realizing it. I really hope this is the way out of this mess. Herd immunity with less serious omicron and it fades out or becomes the not so scary wu-flu.

From my understanding, most people are vitamin D deficient and the role vitamin D plays in your body is significantly underestimated.....so what most may think is their "normal vulnerable" may actually be much weaker that their full potential. Only as strong as your weakest link. I hope you're taking K2 with it, without it, you can OD on the D3 and that will cause other issues. On the other hand, how much daily D3 is recommended is a subject of debate.

I already had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, so it's not just the vitamin D I'm relying on. As you pointed out, the vaccines are clearly not effective in stopping infection or transmission....and yet the 3 weeks I spent in freedomland I was constantly blasted with "the unvaccinated are to blame and are literally killing us all!" propaganda from every angle. I'm not antivax, I am vaccinated, but this political blanket demonizing of people for their vaccination status is some next level shit. Encourage people to get vaccinated, yes. Require masks indoors, fine. Shame unvaccinated people and go after their livelihoods? That is objectively not helping the situation. It fucks over those who can't get vaccinated (health conditions - saw people like this being evicted) and just entrenches those resistant in their fears and views.

[Wage Slave]

As you pointed out, the vaccines are clearly not effective in stopping infection or transmission....

Not quite. I said they were not very effective in preventing infection or transmission of the Omicron variant. That's not quite the same thing.

And nor does it remove the individual responsibility and collective need to protect other people, especially the vulnerable, by whatever means we have.

[matsuki]

As you pointed out, the vaccines are clearly not effective in stopping infection or transmission....

Not quite. I said they were not very effective in preventing infection or transmission of the Omicron variant. That's not quite the same thing.

And nor does it remove the individual responsibility and collective need to protect other people, especially the vulnerable, by whatever means we have.

I get what you're saying and yes, there is a case to be made that vaccinated people were less likely to transmit the earlier variants and that benefit is not insignificant. On the other hand, that's still not the same at preventing transmission and they were still getting infected so it doesn't make a legit case to direct all the blame and shame at the unvaccinated. It's just not that one dimensional and now with Omicron, whatever transmission protection previously existed, is no longer there.

The vaccines have greatly reduced the number of severe cases and hospitalized so yeah, of course they should still be encouraged for your own health and to not clog up the hospitals which does affect everyone...I just can't get on board with the shame and blame, dismiss them as if they're all infected, and go after people's livelihoods tactics. Especially when it appears they have very little to fear from this new variant, let alone people who are double vaxxed and boosted.

[jingai]

Shaming and blaming doesn't do much but mandating vaccines and making non-compliance expensive make a lot of sense from a societal perspective. This is a health emergency we need to treat it like such. Otherwise we are sentencing those with weak immune systems where vaccines aren't effective to disease and death.

[matsuki]

Shaming and blaming doesn't do much

There are a bunch of idiots encouraging shaming dead people for unvaccinated. I can imagine a few of them may end up with lead poisoning as emotions run out of control. As silly as it sounds, Walmart seems to be having success in getting unvaccinated and vaccine reluctant people in rural areas to get the shots by simply making them more accessible without appointments. Seems like many were just not bothered enough to make the effort -or- simply weren't physically able to get to a vaccination site.

but mandating vaccines and making non-compliance expensive make a lot of sense from a societal perspective. This is a health emergency we need to treat it like such. Otherwise we are sentencing those with weak immune systems where vaccines aren't effective to disease and death.

We're in agreement that it's a health emergency and want as many vaccinated as possible. Of course we should be taking rational measures to prevent spread. Whatever your take was on mandates/pressure before, with the current Omicron variant, we know vaccines will not have any effect on the spread. (though it it will likely save many who end up infected) The places with highest vaccine rates are being lit up by omicron now. It's going to spread regardless and as I keep saying, I speculate this may be a good thing since the mass natural immunity gained from omicron provides more protection than the vaccines. There is just no case to be made that mandates/pressure makes sense at this point in time.

[Coligny]

Shaming and blaming doesn't do much but mandating vaccines and making non-compliance expensive make a lot of sense from a societal perspective. This is a health emergency we need to treat it like such. Otherwise we are sentencing those with weak immune systems where vaccines aren't effective to disease and death.

If 10% of a population is vulnerable.
You don’t piss off the 90% that are not.
Either you lock the 10% in padded room so they don’t hurt themselves or you let the, die on the side of the road.
Darwinism is not only a token joke for drunk drivers… it actually works…

[matsuki]

I'm not for hanging them out to die, have been super careful around my grandparents and their living situation has been adjusted for that...but Coligny has a point about Darwinism. Had to hold my tongue in a few circles when someone was spouting off about how Covid is racist without acknowledging the actual source of the issue, the Vitamin D deficiency in darker skinned people living in not so sunny areas. Others that immediately jumped to screaming "fat shaming" when it was suggested it was in their best interest to get to a healthier weight as we know obese people are more susceptible to Covid. On the otherhand, I know one guy from Ghana that started taking supplements and feels better than he ever has. Another famous person I know was so scared of Covid, he lost soo much weight I hardly recognize the guy. Making the most out of what you can control seems a good strategy for life.

If the previous outbreaks were waves, Omicron is a Tsunami: https://covid19japan.com/

On the bright side, deaths are hardly upticked at all. You seemingly have to have won comorbidity B-I-N-G-O and be unvaxxed to succumb to omicron.

[Coligny]

Welcome to bananadictatorshit 101:

Criticize the french gouvernement about his vaccine policies by shittalking on the internets, get swatted and send to pita.

https://planetes360.fr/8-arrestations-p ... en-france/

It’s like at the end of “jay and silent bob strike back” where they go house to house to sucker punch web trolls.

Gonna have to hide behind moar than 7 proxies from now on…

[matsuki]

At this rate Japan will gain a 5th season...

https://covid19japan.com/

[Coligny]

The case-to-death ratio tells it all...

[matsuki]

The case-to-death ratio tells it all...

Even that is an overestimate, death with covid reported as death by covid.....and the significant amount of undocumented cases skews it much higher than reality.

[matsuki]

https://covid19japan.com/



Iwate suddenly a "go to" destination?

[Coligny]

Bit of a caseplosion these days among preggers. Deliveries have to be made using BSL4 suits with autonomous air intake with individual climate control.
As usual, report on number of cases and not number of death.
Starting to think that if it’s really self immunizing I should bareback me some hooker to get that unicron strain while supplies last…

[matsuki]

I've heard a few physicians say they are thinking of timing an intentional exposure at the most effective range of their recent vaccine. Pox party! Seriously though, if the subsequent variants get less and less severe, seems like a waste. I was already exposed and had no symptoms or access to testing so for all I know, I already have the antibodies.

[Coligny]

If only stds could work the same ehh…

[matsuki]

If only stds could work the same ehh…

I know a few who's blood would be able to cure anything that comes out of China