Hello all!
I need to start off by saying that I am not germophobic nor do I have a compromised immune system, but I just don't like getting sick and I like to stay healthy when possible. Seeing that Japan is a sane country, in that nobody cares if you wear a mask when you're sick or around large crowds, makes me happy.
I've been studying Japanese, both culture and language, for a few years now and my wife and I are exploring the idea of moving there for a year or two, maybe longer depending on how things go. We have a gamelan and get excited about change quite easily, so this means I talk to friends a co-workers about it.
A co-worker told me his sister moved back to the US after living in Japan for 7 months and said people were very sick. She said she saw things that "made COVID look like a sniffle." She also mentioned that restaurants had very poor hygiene practices. Everything she was saying was going against everything I've seen/heard/read over my time of study.
Is this just a one-off from someone that was just in a bad area? I don't know where she stayed, but I also know she couldn't afford much while over there. I apologize if this is too vague to go off of, but I do greatly appreciate any insight people can offer as to what things are currently like over there.
by DontBopIt