Lonely cherry blossoms: Editor in Japan watches COVID-19 unfold

Kuma comes from Anji, Zhejiang province, and is now working at a publishing house in Tokyo, living in Yokohama, Kanagawa. She should be planning to go back home at this time of year, to enjoy spring outings with family and friends or take pictures for her adorable sister.

However, the reality is that she has to stay at home in Japan because of the pandemic. Her employer has been encouraging people to work from home since mid-March, and she's been doing her job remotely while improving her cooking skillsand reading the news.

Kuma went back to Japan from Zhejiang at the end of January. She didn't dare to let her guard down after the worryingexperiences she had justwent through in China. She posted a lot on social media in Japanese about how the situation in China was regarding COVID-19. She tried to remind those around her to wear masks and to go out as little as possible. But "they didn't seem to mind", which somehow worried her.

There were marathon events at that time all around Japan. The Naked Man Festival in Okayama was "breathtaking". Employees went to work just like they would any other day. Few would wear masks, even in a crowded tram. People still flocked to places like Shinjuku station and the streets in Shibuya.

On March 13, the Japanese Cabinet agreed on revisions to a 2013 special measures law. On March 24, the Japanese IOC president and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the Tokyo Olympic Games would be postponed for up to a year. As a tourism-based country, Japan was expecting another miraculous boost to their economy from the sporting event, just like the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. This announcement shocked the society.

On March 29, Shimura Ken, a famous comedian in Japan, died of COVID-19. This unfortunate news fundamentally changed Japan's attitude toward the pandemic. People started saying "Think of those around you" and "Stay in as much as possible" instead of "The young will survive" and "We have to go out". The severity in people's minds seemed to grow overnight.

On April 7, Prime Minister Abe declared a state of emergency for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka in the wake of the rise in COVID-19 cases, effective immediately until May 6.

This declaration did not legally forbid people from going outside.However, with the cancelation of signature events such as fireworks,more and more companies confirmed employees had the virus,mass infections were discovered in hospitals and police stations, and those in severe condition found themselves unable to get treatment in hospitals. The idea of self-quarantine had finally seeped into Japanese society, just as it had in China in February.

Kumamade a few brief trips from early March to mid-April for business as well as for personal reasons.

On March 20, she was in Enoshima, Shonan. For a moment, she had thought the pandemic was under control, judging from the crowds, the number of street performers, and the bustling restaurants and food stands.But the disappearance around her of Mandarin, normally spoken with frequency in Japan, was a reminder that the reality was actually more serious than it appeared.

Four days later, Kuma went to a business meeting at Nakameguro. On the way, she passed the Meguro River, famous for its cherry blossoms and also as a shooting location of the popular Japanese drama The Perfect Divorce. This year's cherry blossom viewing activities canceled all the food stands to maintain social distancing. There were more and more passersby wearing masks. Meanwhile, "quite a few people were appreciating the blossoms while walking, and the atmosphere didn't seem that tense."

On March 30, Kuma had to make another business trip from Yokohama to Shibuya, Tokyo. She observed that the tram was a little more spacious than usual. Shibuya is a heaven for young people, and was usually crowded day and night. Some commercial areas did see fewer people than normal that day. But its signature scrambled crossing was just as crammed as usual.

On April 16, Prime Minister Abe declared a nationwide state of emergency. Only then did allof Japanese society, from businesses to citizens, seem to join in the battle against this pandemic. Most companies encouraged working from home. Kuma also had more discussions about takeaway with friends.

There is a large supermarket near Kuma's apartment. She said that people usually make one purchase for a few days or a week. The supermarket is fully stocked and there is no need to worry about daily necessities. But masks and disinfectant were constantly in short supply. There was a time when masks were in high demand and drugstores would restock early in the morning, so you could always try your luck by getting in line at 5 or 6 am. But after the declaration, more and more drugstores refused to open up in the morning due to social distancing.

At this trying time, Kuma received epidemic prevention materials from her hometown in China — 10 pairs of medical gloves and 100 medical masks. She said, "I almost burst into tears when unpacking them. International delivery service was indeed tricky, but my friends in China told me they could always mail me some whenever these are in short supply. I felt slightly relieved just seeing these masks from home."

Case numbers in Tokyo and across Japan continue to climb, at a seemingly accelerated rate. Kuma's Japanese friends would always say, "These cherry blossoms in full bloom look lonely now." A few spring rain showershave washed away almost all the petals from the cherry blossoms. Azaleas have flowered and hydrangeas will soon follow. The spring breezes and deep blue skies are rather inviting. But when will this pandemic be contained? "No one can see the end of it".