Hi! Kirk here with a notice from the Kumamoto International Foundation (also known as the “International Center”) about Kumamoto’s “pre-emergency” or “quasi-emergency” status. As I wrote in the following post, this is how newspaper articles have rendered “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置), or “mambo” for short.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5359252387481483

I’d like to express my gratitude to the good people at the Kumamoto International Foundation because they have kindly agreed to paste the original Japanese text to the end of messages such as this one. This is partly in response to the following post in which many of you said that your agreed with me that access to Japanese can be useful:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5329273953812660

In the case of the following e-mail text, the Japanese helped me confirm that “stricter measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19” refers to “mambo” and not to any other measures. The Japanese text can come in handy in many other ways and, of course, those who have no interest in it are free to ignore it.

If you appreciate the addition of Japanese text to messages like this one, please “like” this post and/or write a positive comment. I’m planning to share this post in a thank you note to the International Foundation so anything your write here will become part of that note. Thanks!

Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City have been placed under stricter measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the number of new coronavirus cases are rapidly increasing. The measures run from Sunday, May 15th to Sunday, June 13th. The details are listed below.

  • Wear a face mask even if you have no symptoms.
  • Wash your hands often. Sanitize your hands.
  • When you have a fever, stay home and call your doctor for advice.
  • Avoid going out and stay home as much as possible. Do not go out after 8pm.
  • Do not drink on the street or gather in parks to drink with others.
  • Eat alone or eat with someone you are always with in a small group.
  • You can’t drink at restaurants or bars. They don’t serve alcohol.
  • All restaurants and bars are closed at 8pm. Keep these rules to avoid the spread of Coronavirus.

熊本県と市は新型コロナウイルス感染の急拡大を受けて、「まん延防止等重点措置」を出しました。内容は下記のとおりです。 期間：5月15日（日）～6月13日（日） 主な内容： ・症状がなくとも、マスク着用 ・こまめな手洗い・手指消毒 ・発熱時は仕事等を休み、すぐにかかりつけ医等に電話相談！ ・日中も含めた不要不急の外出※を控えて下さい（特に午後8時以降は徹底して下さい。） ・路上・公園等での集団飲酒等はしないで下さい。 ・会食はなるべく普段から一緒にいる人と人数を絞って行う。 ・全ての飲食店について、終日の酒類の提供（利用者による店内持ち込みを含む）の 自粛を要請します。 ・全ての飲食店について、午後８時までの営業時間短縮を要請します。 これらの決まりを守って新型コロナウイルス感染拡大防止へのご協力をお願いします。