Japan shut down an entire island's schools, restaurants, and stadiums after an uptick in coronavirus cases. Here's what it looks like.
Hokkaido, Japan's second-biggest island, currently has 77 recorded cases of coronavirus.
Hokkaido's 77 cases have made it the most infected prefecture in Japan. The second most infected prefecture is Tokyo, which has recorded 39 cases.
It's worth noting that Japan's prefectures vary in size, and Hokkaido is the largest. Hokkaido is more than 35 times larger than Tokyo in terms of size.
Source: Nippon
On February 28, Hokkaido's governor, Naomichi Suzuki, declared a state of emergency and asked residents and tourists to remain indoors.
"If nothing is done, the coronavirus will spread rapidly," Governor Suzuki told Japanese broadcaster NHK World.
"This is a crucial moment. We must take unprecedented measures."
Source: Japan Times
The declaration came after Japan's prime minister ordered all the country's schools to shut down until the end of March. Hokkaido's 1,600 schools — like this elementary school — have also closed.
Shinzo Abe's order will affect 12.8 million students at 34,847 schools nationwide, the Japanese education ministry said.
Source: Japan Times, Business Insider
Hokkaido, one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, usually sees more than 130 million visitors a year and at least 2 million in February alone. But the airport looked much emptier than ususal this weekend.
The island's ski resorts are very popular, and the Sapporo Snow Festival — which runs in the first two weeks of February — attracted two million in 2019 alone, The Independent reported.
This year visitor numbers to the festival plunged by about 710,000, according to the Japan Times.
Most visitors to Japan are from South Korea and China, two of the worst-hit countries by the coronavirus.
Those still traveling through Hokkaido's New Chitose Airport were also seen wearing masks.
The state of emergency is also taking a visible toll on the island's businesses. Department stores in the major cities of Sapporo and Hakodate closed down, and malls look almost deserted.
Not many crowds were seen in the Susukino district in Sapporo, usually a popular neighborhood for nightlife.
"This is supposed to be the busiest time of year. The virus has been a huge blow to business," an owner of a barbecue restaurant in the Kitami district told Japanese media.
Source: NHK World
Many businesses across the country, including in Hokkaido, have started urging employees to work from home and minimize contact with others.
Governor Suzuki also asked those who feel unwell to refrain from going to work, adding that even people with mild symptoms can spread the virus while traveling, according to NHK World.
One of Hokkaido's most popular tourist attractions — its fresh seafood markets — have also been deserted as tourists cancel their trips to the island.
At least 147,000 guests have canceled accommodation in Sapporo and other cities in Hokkaido, the Japan Times reported, citing Hokkaido Prefectural Government.
The prefecture estimates a loss of over 20 billion yen ($185 billion) in tourism revenue if there are no tour groups from China until next month, the newspaper reported.
Even Japan's favorite pastime — baseball — has been put on pause. Preseason games across the country have been played in empty stadiums, including those in Hokkaido.
Japan's professional baseball league announced on February 26 that it will play its 72 remaining preseason games in empty stadiums because of coronavirus fears, according to Sports Illustrated.
The regular season is expected to open on March 20.
Soccer players in Italy, the worst-infected country outside Asia, have also been playing games in empty stadiums because of the outbreak.
The Health Ministry has since sent personnel to the island to help tackle the rise in infections.
Source: Bloomberg
Hokkaido isn't alone. Dozens of other towns and cities around the world — like San Fiorano, Italy — have been locked down due to the coronavirus. Once-bustling businesses have been emptied out.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement