Nikkei Asian Review

Subject: SECOND WAVE 05-29-2020

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	Editor-in-chief's picks May 29, 2020

	ASIA'S ECONOMIES ARE  REOPENING, BUT IS IT TOO  EARLY? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe  lifted the coronavirus-induced state of emergency in Tokyo on May 25. Although many people   received the news happily, there is still fear  that this is just a transition period from the  first wave of infections to the second. Our cover story this week focuses on this  post-emergency phase. The number of newly  infected patients has in fact been gradually   increasing since the lift. The article posits that the choice between  keeping deaths and economic activity low  and accepting more deaths and economic  activity is a false dichotomy, because a public  health crisis costs an economy "far more than  lockdowns and supporting furloughed worker s and struggling businesses." In other words,  a healthy public is the basis for healthy  economic activity. Regarding this argument, I would like  to point out one thing about the situation  in Japan. Compared with South Korea or Wuhan,  the Japanese government is  reluctant to make it mandatory for people to take PCR  or antibody tests. Thus, few people can know with certainty if they  are COVID-19 negative. Nor are we able to ascertain  if our neighbors are positive or negative. This  is not an ideal situation for resuming economic  activity. Without tests, I fear that the Japanese  will face more difficulties in cross-border activity  than they do domestically. Furthermore, it is possible that the official  death toll for Tokyo is being underestimated, according to  "excess deaths" data comparing the number  of deaths from pneumonia and other causes  this year with the number in typical years. According to our analysis piece on this subject,  the capital "may have suffered more than  200 excess fatalities early in the outbreak,   possibly dwarfing the period's official  coronavirus death count of 16." The article is  technical in places but well worth reading. In many Asian countries, wearing a mask  during the hot, humid summer is the last  thing people want to think about doing.  Put differently, businesses that can solve  this problem stand to make a lot of money.   Uniqlo may be one such company. Our story on the Japanese clothier's  "cool and dry" mask was the most read on  our website over the past week, with the  bulk of the readers in the Philippines,  Singapore and Malaysia. The story's   popularity implies that people are  really keen on this idea. If you are interested in Uniqlo and its  founder Tadashi Yanai, please read  "Brushing restraint aside, Uniqlo keeps  doors open in Japan" and "SoftBank and Son   search for path out of 'Coronavirus Valley. '" Naturally, Nikkei excels at covering big  Japanese players like Uniqlo and SoftBank. Fed up with stories on Japan? Don't worry.  We certainly weren't going to leave out stories  on China's National People's Congress and the situation in Hong Kong. We also have pieces  on Ramadan and Borobudur. I'm confident that  there is something just for you in our colorful   selection of stories. Stay safe and have a good weekend. Shigesaburo Okumura Editor-in-chief, Nikkei Asian Review
	The editor's choice Exits from coronavirus lockdown split 'wild' West  from 'cautious' East Economies are impatient to reopen. Experts say it will trigger a second wave of infections Read more Abe comes down on side of economy with decision to  reopen Tokyo Prime minister stops short of stricter criteria for new coronavirus cases Read more Tokyo's excess deaths far higher than COVID-19 count,  data shows Lack of testing and delayed numbers take blame for possible undercount Read more Uniqlo to debut 'cool and dry' face masks Parent Fast Retailing to use same material as AIRism underwear Read more SoftBank and Son search for path out of  'Coronavirus Valley' Pandemic adds to pressure on founder and CEO to show his Midas touch Read more China abandons economic growth target for first  time in decades Move suggests country may not reach goal of doubling 2010 GDP this year Read more Hong Kong protests flare anew as Beijing tightens vise Six hospitalized and 180 arrested as crowds denounce planned national security law Read more What I learned from spending Ramadan under  coronavirus lockdown The pandemic taught me to look at Islam's holy month anew Read more Finding Nepal in Indonesia Cross-cultural links abound in Buddhist temple complex at Borobudur Read more