Being based in Japan, I am regularly reminded of the value of space.
Most Japanese cities contain shopping and entertainment areas that cram incredibly high numbers of people into every square metre. Pre-Corona, this created a pleasant bustling, jostling atmosphere, but now it is a source of economic pain as social distancing rules and fear of infection have radically reduced the number of customers frequenting the shops, restaurants, bars and clubs in these areas.
Low testing numbers have compounded the problem. Uncertainty about real infection numbers means that many people take a "better safe than sorry" attitude and stay at home, regardles of government exhortations to travel and re-start business and social activities within the infection-prevention guidelines. The shinkansen between Osaka (where I live) and Tokyo (where I often work), previously packed with passengers, is now not even half full. The cozy little izakaya restaurants and the karaoke bars are echoingly empty.
Like the rest of the world, Japan is desperately looking for ways to help small businesses survive this prolonged crisis. Financial support has helped to some extent, but there is a limit to how much money can be handed out. Companies are searching for new business models and new areas of activity, but with the economy shrinking, there is a limit to how much this can help.
One possible solution to at least part of the problem is to tap into another resource that governments have available - space. Instead of just giving financial support to restaurants and shops and discount vouchers to customers who may or may not use them (I haven't used mine yet), why not also provide space for the small businesses to carry on their activities in a socially distanced and, where possible, open-air/well -ventilated, environment.
Most local goverments have empty buildings such as houses and warehouses and empty spaces such as riverside parks and industrial estates that could be used to host businesses temporarily in a low person per square metre density environment. Small restaurants could set up wider-area versions of the classic Japanese Yatai open-air stalls and larger ones cafe-terrace style dining. Clothing shops could trade in open-air covered areas or in warehouses.
Japan is a crowded country, particulalrly in the urban centres, but there is a surprisingly large amount of space available - now is the time to think outside the Karaoke Box and support businesses with space.
