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Crowds in Sapporo, Osaka down 30-50% under restrictions

At Osaka and Shinsaibashi stations, both in the western Japan city of Osaka, the volumes over the hour from 3 p.m. fell 37.8 percent and 28.4 percent, respectively. (Shutterstock)
At Osaka and Shinsaibashi stations, both in the western Japan city of Osaka, the volumes over the hour from 3 p.m. fell 37.8 percent and 28.4 percent, respectively. (Shutterstock)
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30 Nov 2020 08:11:38 GMT9
30 Nov 2020 08:11:38 GMT9

TOKYO: Pedestrian traffic volumes decreased by 30-50 percent from the levels before the coronavirus outbreak in Sapporo and Osaka on the first weekend since fresh COVID-19 restrictions were implemented there, it was learned Monday.

At Osaka and Shinsaibashi stations, both in the western Japan city of Osaka, the volumes over the hour from 3 p.m. fell 37.8 percent and 28.4 percent, respectively, from the averages on weekends and a holiday between Jan. 18 and Feb. 14, according to data from Tokyo-based Agoop Corp., a unit of SoftBank Corp.

The data are based on location information from mobile phones.

The volumes at the two stations over the hour from 9 p.m. were down 47.1 percent and 49.2 percent, respectively. Many Osaka restaurants and bars are being asked to close by 9 p.m.

Pedestrian traffic volumes over the hour from 3 p.m. sagged 38.7 percent and 52.1 percent, respectively, at Sapporo and Odori stations, both in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, northernmost Japan. The number slumped 71.4 percent at New Chitose Airport Station of Hokkaido Railway Co., or JR Hokkaido.

In their requests that took effect late last week, the Hokkaido and Osaka prefectural governments are asking restaurants and some other businesses in the cities to shorten their operating hours in hopes of slowing the spread of the disease.

Also last week, the central government decided to temporarily exclude trips to Sapporo and Osaka from its Go To Travel incentive scheme to shore up travel demand, following surges in new coronavirus cases in both cities.

In Tokyo, where a metropolitan government request for business hour restrictions took effect Saturday, pedestrian traffic over the hour from 9 p.m. Sunday decreased 52.4 percent from the level before the epidemic at Shibuya’s Center-gai busy shopping district.

The Kabukicho entertainment district, also in Tokyo, marked a decline of 44.3 percent.

JIJI Press

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