TOKYO -- Few Japanese customs are so beloved of its millions of company employees as the "nomikai" -- the after-work drinking party that is a chance to bond with colleagues, let the hair down and tell a few home truths to the bosses before knuckling down to office life the next day.
Now online "nomikai" are becoming a trend after Japan's government decreed a state of emergency in Tokyo and other big cities. Bar opening hours have been limited and Japanese urged to observe social distancing to contain the coronavirus spread.
