More than 60% of Japanese manufacturers have yet to gain a permit to resume operations for their Shanghai factories, according to a survey conducted by the Shanghai Japanese Commerce & Industry Club. A total of 54 Shanghai-based Japanese-operated factories responded to the survey, which was conducted between April 27-30. The survey says that 80% of Japanese firms in Shanghai have shut down their operations in the city during the lockdown. Since mid-April, Shanghai has added nearly 2,000 manufacturers to a white-list allowing them to resume operations after Covid-19 cases showed signs of stabilizing following a citywide lockdown starting in late March. But the municipality’s requirement for “closed-loop management” (a “bubble”-like system whereby employees live and work in isolation on-site) remains the main challenge for allowing more factories to reopen in the city. [Caixin, in Chinese]