COMMENTARY / Japan / Perspectives

Has Japan’s COVID-19 response really been that bad?

Mainstream media has painted a bleak narrative about how Japan has handled the pandemic, but comparative data shows it has, for the most part, responded much better than its G7 counterparts

Japan has statistically outperformed other Group of Seven countries in managing the COVID-19 pandemic on almost all counts. | REUTERS

By Edo Naito
Contributing writer

Oct 2, 2021

After being exposed 24/7 to Japanese media, you would be forgiven for believing that Japan’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the worst in the world.

Most will be surprised to learn that on the most important objective metrics Japan is, in fact, the best performing of all industrialized democracies.

It is standard operating procedure for Japanese news organizations to focus on negative comparisons.

Has Japan’s COVID-19 response really been that bad?

Mainstream media has painted a bleak narrative about how Japan has handled the pandemic, but comparative data shows it has, for the most part, responded much better than its G7 counterparts

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