This spring, Japan was also confronted by a severe COVID-19 outbreak. After a second peak in the summer, the virus now seems well contained after the implementation of some strict measures. The national character can attribute to this: the Japanese are used to wearing face masks, naturally keep some more distance and faithfully follow advice on working from home and avoiding rush hour. How do older people in Japan experience this time? After translating the stories of Dutch older people earlier this year, the International Longevity Centre (ILC) Japan has now shared a series of personal stories from their own country with our platform Wij & corona. ILC Japan is a member of the ILC Global Alliance, an international federation researching and advocating the vitality and the societal and economical position of older people. In the Netherlands, the ILC network is represented by Leyden Academy.
Toshiya is gaining weight
Today we published the first translated story, from 71-year old Toshiya from the Kanagawa Prefecture. His experiences may sound familiar for Dutch readers: Toshiya is struggling to stay in shape, he misses going downtown and looking around in stores, and has concluded that online drinking with friends can lead to uncomfortable silences… In the coming weeks, we will share a story from Japan on our platform every Wednesday.
Wij & corona is initiated by Leyden Academy and the GetOud foundation to give older people in the Netherlands a voice and a stage to share their experiences during the COVID-19 crisis. We have so far published over 230 personal stories. Do you have a story to share, please send us an email.