By AYAKO NAKADA/ Staff Writer
September 12, 2020 at 14:15 JST
A theater in Nara Prefecture has set up a new seating arrangement so audience members sit away from each other. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
A government advisory panel on the COVID-19 crisis approved steps to allow packed crowds at stage and movie theaters from Sept. 19, as well as changes to audience size in other entertainment areas.
Until now, restrictions on events were primarily based on whether a venue was indoors or outdoors. The criteria for the guidelines will be based on seating capacity and whether crowds are expected to cheer loudly.
As long as that doesn't happen, restrictions on audience capacity will be greatly relaxed for classical concerts, traditional performing arts and plays.
In addition, art galleries, museums, zoos and movie theaters will get the green light to admit more people. That also goes for amusement parks, but rides that induce screaming will only be allowed to operate at half of capacity.
Among the conditions decided Sept. 11, operators of such facilities will be obliged to provide a face mask for those who turn up without one.
Venues with capacities in excess of 10,000, such as stadiums for sporting events and music halls, will only be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity.
The new guidelines do away with the current upper limit of 5,000 for baseball and soccer games.
Venues that have a capacity of under 10,000 will only be allowed to let in people until 50 percent of seats are filled.
These venues include night clubs, shows for children and publicly operated sporting events, such as horse racing.
The guidelines will remain in force until the end of November.
Other measures approved by the panel of experts include allowing Tokyo residents to take part in the central government's Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign from Oct. 1 and to begin another program called Go To Eat that will provide points that can be used for future purchases when people make reservations online.
A working group will also be set up within the advisory panel to look into ways to prevent a spread of infections in entertainment districts in major urban areas.
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