THE JAPANESE ECONOMY and the COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

This study aims to elaborate on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Japan, particularly focusing on the country's economic sector. In this study, we present the overall picture of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Japan, focusing on why the country's countermeasures against COVID-19 have been delayed. As per our findings, it would be safe to say that the Japanese government has failed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic by failing to provide sufficient medical support. This is because of its refusal to change from the conservative policies it has implemented since the 1990s. Half-hearted countermeasures against infectious diseases and economic promotion measures that are inconsistent with the countermeasures against infectious diseases have not slowed down the spread of the pandemic. A change in direction from conservatism is essential not only for the containment of the coronavirus but also for the prospect of a long-term sustainable society.