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"Let's go, fight!" the four-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 planning a one-month state of emergency for the greater
Tokyo area beginning Friday to contain a record surge in
coronavirus infections.
Head cheerleader Kumi Asazuma said the group had been performing
for more than 10 years to help energise morning commuters, but
their mission had taken on new meaning during 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 works as a
freelance event emcee and presenter, told Reuters.
"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 generally perform Thursdays in Tokyo
and Fridays in neighbouring Kanagawa prefecture, with the number
of performers depending on the availability of members as they
also have jobs.
But they will likely have to perform remotely, posting videos on
social media, during the state of emergency, she said.
About a dozen people stopped to take smartphone photos and
videos while others watched as they filtered out from the
station towards their offices.
"I think it's wonderful what they're doing in the current
situation," said Tomoko Tsudanuma, 48, an office worker.
"I'll be working at home from next week and it's hard but I feel
encouraged from watching this kind of activity,"
(Reporting by Chris Gallagher; editing by Richard Pullin)
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