Japanese cheerleaders danced and cheered on commuters outdoors a Tokyo rail station on Thursday in a bid to lift spirits with the capital heading into a further state of emergency more than the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Let’s go, fight!” the 4-particular person squad shouted out to passers-by in front of Shimbashi Station, with their protective face shields fogging up in the chilly Tokyo morning as they waved gold pom poms.
Japan is organizing a a single-month state of emergency for the higher Tokyo location starting Friday to include a record surge in coronavirus infections.
Head cheerleader Kumi Asazuma stated the group had been performing for more than 10 years to assistance energise morning commuters, but their mission had taken on new which means in the course of the pandemic.
“Especially now, the spread of the coronavirus isn’t stopping, people have lost their jobs … I think this is a period where people are really suffering a lot,” Asazuma, 37, who functions as a freelance occasion emcee and presenter, told .
“We want to deliver a smile to cheer people up. We’re doing this hoping that people can feel even a little bit better.”
Cheerleaders from her group commonly carry out Thursdays in Tokyo and Fridays in neighbouring Kanagawa prefecture, with the quantity of performers based on the availability of members as they also have jobs.
But they will probably have to carry out remotely, posting videos on social media, in the course of the state of emergency, she stated.
About a dozen persons stopped to take smartphone images and videos even though other people watched as they filtered out from the station towards their offices.
“I think it’s wonderful what they’re doing in the current situation,” stated Tomoko Tsudanuma, 48, an workplace worker.
“I’ll be working at home from next week and it’s hard but I feel encouraged from watching this kind of activity,”