COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor: Japan

Overview

Japan was one of the first countries to be hit by COVID-19 and declared a state of emergency by April 2020. Japan’s response to COVID-19 included the imposition of context-specific measures and restrictions based on local need to contain the spread of the disease. Containment measures were enacted under the Act on Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response. Citizens were requested to abide by containment measures that focused on avoiding the 3C’s: Closed spaces with poor ventilation; Crowded places; Close‐contact settings. Health infrastructure, workforce, and supply chain were strengthened, alongside social security interventions including financial support for citizens. Primary health centers were strengthened and were at the forefront of Japan’s COVID-19 response at the local level.

This publication presents the various measures that were put in place from the beginning of the outbreak until December 2020 to control COVID-19 transmission in the country. We aim to update this document as new policies and interventions are operationalized to respond to the outbreak.

How to Cite this publication

Tokumoto A, Akaba H, Oshitani H, Jindai K, Wada K, Imamura T et al. COVID‐19 health system response monitor: Japan. New Delhi: World Health Organization Regional Office for South‐East Asia; 2021.