Apr 13 , 2020. 2 hours ago – 15:08 KYODO NEWS

TOKYO – With face masks on, many Japanese people headed to work as usual on Monday, the first business day since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a 70 percent reduction in commuters to curb new coronavirus infections.

Some workers voiced difficulty in following Abe’s request due to the nature of their jobs, while others said they could not do everything at home, although they have already started teleworking.

Tokyo’s JR Shimbashi Station, normally bustling with business people, was quieter than usual in the morning.

“I’m aware of the 70 percent cut (in commuting), but I cannot take time off from work,” said a 69-year-old man who is in the medical field.

“I’ve been teleworking recently, and I go outside when I have no other choice,” said Mitsuhiro Shibuya, a 58-year-old whose job involves goods purchasing for supermarkets.

Japan has been battling to stem a further surge in coronavirus infections as Abe last week declared a month-long state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures.

To lift the state of emergency in a month, Abe has said people need to reduce contact with others by as much as 80 percent. On Saturday, he asked companies to promote teleworking to achieve the needed 70 percent cut in commuters.

A growing number of companies are switching to teleworking amid the spread of the virus, though Japan Inc. has been slow to adopt the practice.

In Tokyo’s Marunouchi business and commercial district, many shops were closed with few people seen walking the streets.

“I’ve shifted to teleworking, but I need to go to the office once a week, which is today,” said a 57-year-old public servant whose work involves disaster relief.

“We cannot reduce the number of people who will be put in charge of support (if a natural disaster occurs),” he said.

Of the country’s 47 prefectures, Tokyo has reported by far the largest number of cases, with the total number topping 2,000 on Sunday.

Sharp increases in coronavirus infections in urban areas have sounded the alarm among government officials and medical experts. Across Japan, the number of cases has topped 8,000, including about 700 from the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was quarantined in February near Tokyo.

CR: KYODO NEWS