Japan eateries can now serve alcohol as state of emergency lifted, but troubles remain June 21, 2021 (Mainichi Japan) Japanese version Noriaki Fukubayashi is seen preparing to open his store Miki, a restaurant serving kushikatsu deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables, in Osaka's Kita Ward, on June 20, 2021, ahead of the lifting of the coronavirus state of emergency. (Mainichi/Tadashi Kako) While areas in western Japan, including the major cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe, will transition to quasi-emergency coronavirus measures from June 21, after the state of emergency was lifted the day before, many restaurants and bars serving alcohol have a ways to go before they can restore the number of customers to pre-pandemic levels. Many establishments will resume business as the retraction of the COVID-19 state of emergency has allowed eateries to serve alcohol under the condition that they take precautionary measures against infections. However, eateries are operating on shorter hours, and customers are expected to stay away. Noriaki Fukubayashi, 52, manages Miki スーパーコピー財布  an eatery serving kushikatsu deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables in the Kitashinchi entertainment district in the city of Osaka's Kita Ward. On June 20, he sweated away at work to clean the establishment and prepare ingredients ahead of the resumption of business for the first time in about two months. Fukubayashi said, "I was at home for a long time so my lifestyle rhythm was in disarray. I'm glad that I can now meet customers." The store had been temporarily closed since April 25 when the third state of emergency was issued, in response to the Osaka Prefectural Government's request. The restaurant filed an application on June 19 for qualification under the "gold sticker" third-party certification system, which the prefectural government established as a condition for serving alcohol following the lifting of the state of emergency, and proceeded to set up acrylic panels inside the store. Noriaki Fukubayashi is seen preparing to open his store Miki, a restaurant serving kushikatsu deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables ブランドコピー最高N級  in Osaka's Kita Ward, on June 20, 2021, ahead of the lifting of the coronavirus state of emergency. (Mainichi/Tadashi Kako) Under the quasi-emergency measures, eateries are allowed to serve alcohol only until 7 p.m. While Fukubayashi shows understanding over this restriction, he also expressed concern that "if customers drink less alcohol, they'll also end up eating fewer meat skewers." Miki is a small restaurant with only about 10 counter seats. Although there are few customers who come in groups exceeding the number of "two people or less, as a general rule" -- the limit requested by the prefecture -- Fukubayashi is bracing himself for instances where he will have to refuse large groups' entry into the eatery. The Kitashinchi entertainment district where the restaurant is located is lined with high-end nightclubs. The peak time periods for Fukubayashi's eatery used to be around 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., when customers came to eat meals before visiting nightclubs in the surrounding area, and late at night when hostesses and other individuals paid a visit after finishing work. However, the entertainment district has seen fewer people amid the coronavirus pandemic 偽物ブランド  and there are many store regulars who have not returned. "People hardly came back when the first and second state of emergencies were lifted, too. If a fifth coronavirus wave comes, it will be really tough," said Fukubayashi. Meanwhile, Toyohiro Maeda, 63, the president of Kyoto-based Diony Co., a wholesale distributor of alcohol with a focus on imported wine, worries that the situation for establishments will not improve even after the state of emergency is lifted. He said, "Although circumstances may change for the better compared to the state of a complete ban on serving any alcohol, this may not be of help to eateries whose customers are people of working age." The practice of dining out has also been gradually changing due to the spread of remote work and other conventions. Seventy percent of the wholesale company's total revenue is profits earned from business targeting restaurants, and the company has observed these eateries from up close through its transactions with them. Eateries that are especially in a predicament are those that opened shortly before the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. "These establishments opened their doors foreseeing profits from the Tokyo Olympics, but have been unable to promote themselves. As they do not have any prior business achievements, they only receive a small amount of money in subsidies even when placed under temporary closure. I couldn't just sit still doing nothing in this situation," said President Maeda. In June, he launched a crowdfunding campaign that supports restaurants in the prefectures of Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo that opened some time during or after autumn of 2019. Under the system, individuals who make donations will support funds for the establishments' operation for the time being ブランドコピーバッグ  in exchange for meal coupons of the same price which can be used starting August. The company president set a target of collecting 1 million yen (about $9,070) スーパーブランドコピー  and has gathered over 400,000 yen (about $3,628) as of June 20. Although the number of eateries that have registered with the program is currently below 20 and has yet to reach the target of 50, President Maeda said, "I'd like to send a message to restaurants that we're supporting them. The only thing we can do is to believe that there's no night that won't see the light of dawn." (Japanese original by Tatsuki Noda, Osaka City News Department and Yoko Minami, Kyoto Bureau) Font Size SML Print Go to The Mainichi Home Page Related Articles Okinawa Pref. orders 68 bars, eateries to close, shorten hours after request ignored About 300 eateries in Osaka Pref. found serving alcohol despite COVID-19 restrictions 'It's hell': Tokyo restaurants angered at bearing brunt of endless virus measures