Finance Minister Taro Aso said Thursday that Japan's relatively low mortality rate from the new coronavirus reflects the country's higher "level of cultural standards."
"I have received phone calls (from overseas) asking 'Do you have any drug that only you guys have?' My answer is the level of cultural standards is different, and then they fall silent," said Aso, who doubles as deputy prime minister, at a parliamentary session in the House of Councilors.
Japan has seen about seven deaths from the coronavirus for every 1 million residents, Aso said, a level far below the United States, Britain and France.