Washington ¨C With the infection rate inching up and the government not imposing a complete social lockdown seen in many other parts of the world, Japan¡¯s strategy to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak has had mixed responses internationally. But wounded national pride aside, it¡¯s the results that matter, rather than the process.
Japan¡¯s way of declaring a national emergency at a time of a pandemic may not be one that other governments would find effective. What ultimately matters isn¡¯t how Japan¡¯s approach is regarded by the global community. Instead, it is whether Japan¡¯s strategy will lead to the results that all governments want, namely to prevent infections from spreading further and to get the country back on a path to economic recovery.
The pandemic¡¯s impact on the global economy to date would have been unimaginable only a few months ago. Will this be the biggest downturn in a decade or in a lifetime? Will this be a long-term recession or an outright depression?
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