Photo/Illutration JR Utsunomiya Station is filled with commuters in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, on the morning of Jan. 14. (Takuji Hiraga)

For Kenichi Saito, the new state of emergency that took effect on Jan. 14 did not change his usual commute to Tokyo.

Saito, 50, of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, who took a train to his company’s Tokyo office, said Tokyoites appear to be letting their guard down against the novel coronavirus, compared with the first state of emergency last spring.

“I have no choice but to go to the office because I need to train new employees, including those coming from Osaka,” he said. “But I am worried about the crowded trains. I want to work from home more often.”

Few changes were observed in many parts of Japan over the coronavirus pandemic on the first morning after seven prefectures joined the greater Tokyo area under the state of emergency.

Tochigi Prefecture is among the seven prefectures that are now covered by the emergency, in addition to the first batch of Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba.

Asahi Okajima, a second-year high school student who commutes to Tokyo from Satte, Saitama Prefecture, echoed a similar concern to Saito's.

“Trains are as crowded as before,” the student said. “It is scary to be in this situation every day.”

The latest emergency, which runs through Feb. 7, is the second after the first was put in place between April and May.

Many shops and restaurants in Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, which are under the expanded state of emergency, began closing at 8 p.m. on Jan. 13 in compliance with local authorities’ request.

Restaurant chains in the prefectures, including Gyoza no Ohsho, which serves gyoza dumplings, and Mister Donut fast food restaurants, will end indoor dining and drinking at 8 p.m. but continue offering take-out food after that.

Many supermarkets there are set to maintain their current hours to capitalize on demand from people staying at home. They shut down or closed early during the last state of emergency.

At JR Nagoya Station in Nagoya, a 60-year-old company employee said the number of commuters was only slightly smaller than before on the morning of Jan. 14.

“During the last state of emergency, crowds were much smaller,” he said. Aichi Prefecture is also covered by the state of emergency.

In Fukuoka, also under the state of emergency, a part-time worker said there are as many commuters as before passing through an underground shopping arcade.

The worker, a 63-year-old woman, said she is not as anxious as she was during the previous emergency declaration.

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