When the Asia Pacific Initiative compiled a report in October on the government¡¯s COVID-19 response, there was a quote from a staff member at the Prime Minister¡¯s Office that symbolized how Japan dealt with the pandemic.
¡°The makeshift response turned out to be all right.¡±
The quote was used in the report ¡ª which I was involved in putting together ¡ª as a conclusion not because we thought it was good that the government¡¯s response worked out, but to raise the alarm that makeshift measures always come with risks since there is no guarantee that the government can respond similarly in the future.
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