Shanghai Consulate General offers support for Japanese nationals amid lockdown

Officials at Japan’s Consulate General in Shanghai are helping Japanese nationals to obtain daily necessities amid tough coronavirus restrictions in the Chinese city.

Shanghai reported 19,982 new infections on Wednesday. The figure hit a new high for the sixth straight day. Most of the cases were asymptomatic.

A lockdown has been in effect in the city since March 28. Local authorities announced on Thursday that they would conduct mass coronavirus testing again, without making it clear when they will end the lockdown.

Shanghai residents are complaining about the difficulty in obtaining food and other daily essentials. Japanese nationals in the city are also voicing concern about shortages of daily necessities, and some of them have contacted Japan’s Consulate General to ask for help.

Officials at the Consulate General say their staff are required to work from home, but can respond to phone calls. They say they will provide support for individuals to obtain the items they need.

A member of a volunteer childcare support group in Shanghai has contacted the Consulate General for help. Tsubaki Saya says a number of people raising children in the city have trouble buying diapers and powdered milk. The group has a social media account with about 800 followers. She also says pregnant women are concerned about the responses from hospitals.

Tsubaki, who has a 2-year-old daughter, says she has been in Shanghai since 2020 and the feeling of tension is at its highest point right now. She says she wants to work with other people to put their heads together to reduce their anxiety and overcome the current situation.