A state of emergency will be declared in seven prefectures tonight. Local governors will be able to ask residents to refrain from going out except for work, medical appointments, grocery shopping, and other essential activities.

Thank you for your question! I’m Kida, the club’s representative, and I’ll answer this one. I realize that the message from my club was confusing. We’ve continued arranging dates because: - We’re not included among the businesses being asked to suspend operations. - These dates don’t fall under the “three Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings). However, as Papiko-san pointed out, we have a rule that we can’t accept offers from people who have a lot of contact with others in their daily lives or who have high-risk family members. By the way, have you tried an online date yet? I’m sorry if you tried it and found it disappointing, but if you’re simply put off by the idea, please give it a try at least once. It’s unbelievably fun. You’ll be able to have an adult relationship around June anyway, right? Until then, I really encourage you to try talking over LINE video. I thought it sounded ridiculous at first, too. But please, just try it. You absolutely, positively won’t regret it. And if you do, feel free to berate me in this Q&A box. I sincerely apologize.

Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here as well. > What is Universe going to do as a company? If you’re looking for an official answer, please ask your registered branch. You should be able to get the company’s official response. As far as my understanding of Universe’s approach goes: We always follow the government’s policies. At first, we implemented COVID-19 measures that were stricter than the government’s standards, including restrictions on dates for visitors from overseas. People got angry in this Q&A box, saying they were too strict and that it was impossible to go on dates. Looking back, though, I sometimes feel that being overly cautious was actually the right approach. That’s simply the kind of company Universe is. > In another question, Maezawa gave the irresponsible answer that he couldn’t respond to hypothetical questions. But now that the situation has become a reality— The other question said that “Tokyo and other areas were likely to go into lockdown around April 7–8,” but a lockdown has not actually happened. A state of emergency and a lockdown are two different things. If you say that something that hasn’t happened has become a reality, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Also, since everyone took the time to answer, please read the responses carefully and understand that a state of emergency and a lockdown are not the same thing. And isn’t it perfectly natural not to answer hypothetical questions? If war broke out tomorrow, would Universe still arrange dates? If aliens invaded, would Universe arrange dates? If the sun expanded into a red giant and Earth became uninhabitable, what would happen to Universe’s date arrangements? If all the men in the world disappeared and only women remained, would Universe arrange dates? There’s no end to hypothetical scenarios. Please discuss those kinds of fantasies as much as you like with someone who enjoys imagining them. > If you’re still accepting people during this period, I’d like to apply. We are accepting people as usual. However, we ask that you have your temperature checked before your date. If you feel that something is wrong with your health, please let us know. It goes without saying that you should avoid causing trouble for others at all times. Ideally, everyone would take these precautions without Universe having to say anything, but we’re announcing them just to be safe.

I’m a male member, Papercraft. I think the question is whether you can be confident that you won’t pass it on to anyone else. If you have no contact with anyone other than your date and family, it may be okay to accept an offer. But if you do have contact with others, it would be better to refrain.

This is Saito♪, a column writer. I know you weren’t asking for a column writer’s opinion, but as a business owner, please let me say this. Fame comes with a “fame tax.” Questions like this often amount to: “I know you have no legal obligation, but I’m asking for sincerity from the company and for it to fulfill its social responsibility.” That should never be demanded in a way that borders on intimidation. I believe each company should make its own responsible decisions. (Of course, they also have a responsibility to keep their business running.) And perhaps these are the same people who tell delivery companies, “It would be a problem if you stopped operating,” while shouting, “Don’t lump papa-katsu together with delivery companies!” This coronavirus pandemic has cast a deep shadow over people in countless professions. Those working in truly difficult fields may not even be able to speak up. Rather than attacking blindly or constantly blaming others, please stay calm and make your own decisions to protect yourself. Unfortunately, this country has no legal obligation to impose such restrictions. And these laws are made by the representatives elected by you, the questioner, and everyone else through your votes. Let’s get through this together.