Parties go online as coronavirus forces people to stay at home

Drinking parties are increasingly being held online in Japan as more people stay home in self-isolation to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and pubs operate for shorter hours at the request of local authorities.Online parties are expected to become a new way of communication for those compelled to remain at home but who want to keep in touch and casually chat with friends as major Japanese cities remain under a state of emergency through May 6 due to the virus pandemic.On the night of April 8, a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency to fight the virus,…READ FULL ARTICLE