I started writing this post to share that there are people like me who are temporary isolated from family due to the strict quarantine measures and wonder how can family be and how can government be under this difficult situation.
Last week, a new COVID variant Omicron was discovered and some countries have started to close their borders. My home country, Japan, is also tightening its regulations by completely stopping the entry of non-Japanese nationals and setting mandatory quarantine for wider destinations for Japanese people. Shortening quarantine period by providing a proof of vaccinations is not allowed any more.
I flew to Japan from Germany last week to visit my mother in hospital. My partner, my daughter and I are regarded as a family in Germany, but according to Japanese rules, my partner is not allowed to enter Japan because we are not married. My daughter is staying in Germany with my partner because we thought it would be hard for small energetic girl to spend 10-14 days in a hotel room and young kids are not allowed to enter hospitals. I wish the situation in Germany doesn't get worse.
For the last months, Japanese regulations change both for the better and for the worse. I have finally arrived in Japan and spend restless days alone in a hotel room reading about the latest COVID situation.
I understand that entry restrictions, quarantine measures, and border closures are important to protect the country and people. But behind the scenes, there are people who just simply want to see their families.
At the beginning of November, the Japanese government reduced the quarantine measures for business travelers up to three days. Although it requires a huge amount of paperwork. At first, I was happy that it's also applicable for me to see my mother but not. I was disappointed that Japanese government made business first instead of people who wanted to see their families.
I like Japan in many ways. However I don't like the isolationism, lack of diversity and understanding to people with different background, and peer pressure. It's sad to say but these may be the reason I left Japan ...
Some may say that it is my choice that I decided to have a family in a different countries. That may be true. But I want to see my mother and the family I left behind in Germany ...
先週新型コロナウィルスの新しい変異種であるオミクロン株が発見され、国境を封鎖する国が出てきています。私の母国の日本も日本国籍を持たない人の入国を完全に止め、日本人に対しても強制隔離対象が広がり、隔離期間の短縮措置がなくなるなど規制が厳しくなります。
そんな中、先週、母のお見舞いのためにドイツから日本に来ました。私たちはドイツでは家族として扱われますが、日本のルールでは結婚していないので、パートナーは日本に入れません。子どもは病院に入れず、10-14日間の隔離期間をホテルの部屋で過ごすのは辛いだろうと考え、パートナーと子どもはドイツに残してきました。ドイツの状況が悪化していて心配です。
よい方にもわるい方にも日々変わる規制に翻弄されながら、ようやく日本に着いてホテルで一人落ち着かない日々を過ごしています。
国を守るための入国制限や隔離措置、国境封鎖が大事なのはわかります。でもその裏には家族に会いたいと思う人たちもいます。
日本政府は11月のはじめにビジネス目的の渡航者に対して隔離措置を最大3日まで短縮しました。膨大な事務手続きが必要なものの。当初、誰でも隔離期間を短縮できるのかと思って調べてみると、私のような一般の渡航者は短縮できても10日までです。家族に会いたい国民よりも、ビジネスの方が大事なのかと落胆しました。
私は便利できれいで安全で、たくさんの美しいものが作られている日本が好きです。でも島国ならではの鎖国主義、多様性の欠如や同調圧力は苦手です。これは無意識に日本を離れた理由かもしれません。
違う国に家族を持つことにしたのは自己責任と言う人もいるでしょう。確かにそうかもしれません。でも母とドイツに残してきた家族に会いたいです。家族ってなんだろう、国ってなんだろう。