Photo/Illutration Signs warn spectators to strictly follow COVID-19 safety protocols, including not shouting, at a concert in Chiba on Oct. 23. (Naoko Kawamura)

The government will eliminate the spectator limit of 10,000 for large venues in November but will apply a restriction of 50 percent of capacity if the event involves yelling and cheering.

A government panel of health experts on Oct. 28 approved the lifting of the 10,000 ceiling but said certain measures should remain because a new wave of novel coronavirus infections will likely spread in the coming months.

Government requests to businesses to shorten hours or limit alcohol sales have been dropped with the decline of new COVID-19 cases nationwide and the wider availability of hospital beds for infected patients.

Twenty-seven of Japan’s 47 prefectures have been placed under the provisional monthlong restrictions that limit audience sizes to either “up to 5,000 people” or “within 50 percent of capacity that does not exceed 10,000.” The two rules are based on differing capacities of the venues.

The ceiling of 10,000 will be dropped, enabling organizers to choose the larger number available under the two rules.

However, in a new measure, the audience number will be limited to “within 50 percent of capacity” if an event involves shouting and cheering by spectators.

Under the new setup, up to 25,000 spectators can attend a venue with a capacity of 50,000, regardless of whether shouting and cheering is involved. The ceiling is 10,000 under the existing rule.

If the venue’s capacity is 8,000 and the event involves shouting, 4,000 people can be admitted based on the “within 50 percent of capacity” rule.

The cap will be 5,000 if audience members are expected to remain quiet.

Kazuhiro Tateda, a professor of infectious diseases at Toho University and a member of the government expert panel, backed the easing, citing the recent sharp drop in new infections and precautions the public continues to take against the virus.

But he urged the public to remain cautious by avoiding parties at pubs and other establishments after attending the events.

Tateda also emphasized the need for authorities to swiftly reimpose restrictions if new COVID-19 cases resurge.

Event organizers showed a mixed reaction to the government decision.

An official who heads the secretariat of the Concert Promoters Association said the easing of the restrictions is a positive move, but it will not be enough to revive events to their pre-pandemic level.

“Hosting a large event with audiences of under 50 percent of capacity will not pay off financially, so I am afraid that organizers will not be tempted to offer them,” the official said. “It will be some time before events with boisterous crowds can materialize.”

A public relations representative with the Chiba Lotte Marines professional baseball team hailed the government decision. The team is heading to the Pacific League’s playoff Climax Series in November.

“We are grateful and are hoping that things will go back to normal even if slowly,” the representative said.

The team will sell 15,000 tickets in the first stage of the Climax Series.

But officials in the sports community remain cautious because audience restrictions could again be tightened if the novel coronavirus spreads.

Japan’s professional soccer J.League and some local governments are now experimenting with a pilot program to continue events and other activities even if a new infection wave strikes. Under the program, spectators who show certificates proving they are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for the virus are allowed entry.

The central government plans to review whether to allow a full reopening of event venues based on the results of the certificate program.

(This story was written by Junya Sakamoto and Yuki Edamatsu.)

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