The state-of-emergency declaration over the COVID-19 pandemic in the Tokyo metropolitan area this week did not immediately cause a significant reduction in crowds, a private survey has suggested. 

In the survey, location data from NTT Docomo Inc. mobile phones were used to estimate the number of people around major train stations and in shopping districts as of 3 P.M. Thursday and Friday, or before and after the declaration.

The estimated number of people around Tokyo Station on Friday was down 2.6 pct from Thursday, while that of people in the capital’s Ginza shopping district was almost unchanged.

The number of people around the west exit of Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, fell 3.9 percent, but that of people around Yokohama Station in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, and Chiba Station in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, increased 3.0 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

JIJI Press