Kabukicho, Gap between government and frontline - Spring 2020

Kabukicho, Gap between government and frontline - Spring 2020

At the end of March 2020, in response to the spread of the new strain of coronae, Governor Koike warned at a press conference that "there have been many cases of infection in bars, nightclubs, and other places where people entertain guests. Although this statement was intended to arouse a sense of crisis among the people of Tokyo, it left those working in the industry feeling very uncomfortable. The Entertainment Establishments Control Law clearly distinguishes between establishments such as cabarets and host clubs, which are forbidden to entertain customers, and bars, which offer alcoholic beverages late at night and are prohibited from doing so, and both have different business formats and operating hours. However, the governor's language lumped them all together as dangerous and lacked consistency both legally and in terms of business type.

When these administrative statements were reported in the national news, the distinction between different types of businesses was of no concern to many citizens, and as a result, the image of "nightlife district = source of infection" spread quickly. Managers and employees on the frontline were angry and frustrated, saying that they were treated as if they were the perpetrators, even though they were serious about their business. In particular, Kabukicho was targeted as a scapegoat because it was repeatedly shown in the media, and radical voices such as "ban them from the area" and "close down the whole town" were heard on social networking sites.

At the time, a state of emergency was about to be declared, and there was such tension in the air that the words of political leaders determined the social atmosphere. The gap between the government and the people living in Kabukicho was a deep wound in the hearts of the residents of Kabukicho.