Society | Mar 28

Tokyo food stores to open over weekend as theme parks and cinemas close

Supermarkets and convenience stores decided Thursday to stay open as usual in the coming days, after a request by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike’s for residents in the capital not to leave home over the weekend.

On the other hand, some operators of entertainment facilities such as movie theaters and amusement parks responded to Wednesday’s stay-at-home request by making decisions to close temporarily.

“We’re going to do business as usual because we’re supplying goods essential for daily life,” said an official at supermarket giant Aeon Co..

The three leading convenience store operators — Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Lawson Inc. and FamilyMart Co. — will continue regular operations except for some outlets.

Following Koike’s request, many people scrambled to supermarkets to hoard food, putting some products — including instant noodles, rice and frozen dishes — out of stock.

Rival Ito-Yokado Co., which has already introduced reduced business hours at some of its stores, will continue its services as well.

So will grocery store operator Life Corp., although the company will refrain from handing out sales flyers for 121 outlets in the Tokyo metropolitan area between Saturday and April 3 “to ease in-store congestion and maintain a stable supply of goods.”


MORE Society NEWS

The Imperial Household Agency has announced that Princess Kako, the second daughter of the Akishino family, is scheduled to visit Greece in late May to promote international goodwill.

The Taiji Town Whale Museum in Wakayama Prefecture conducted a memorial service on Tuesday for marine mammals and fish that have died in captivity.

A startling projection has been unveiled, suggesting that if current trends continue, every Japanese person might eventually be named 'Sato'.

POPULAR NEWS

Four men have been arrested by Tokyo police for allegedly recruiting women for prostitution in the United States via a website, promising encounters with affluent clients and high earnings.

For the first time in 73 years, Japan has unveiled a newly constructed whaling mother ship, equipped with drone technology for whaling operations in the Antarctic Sea.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Nara Prefecture has disciplined its former Youth Division Chief following a controversial dance party incident.

Residents of Japan's oldest student dormitory, self-managed for over 100 years, are digging in as Kyoto University attempts to evict them from the premises.

A Japan Airlines flight en route from Melbourne to Narita Airport encountered sudden severe turbulence on April 1, causing injuries to several cabin crew, including a broken leg.

FOLLOW US