This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
On April 20, 2020, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a nationwide state of emergency in response to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic. However, medical experts have expressed concerns that the measures put in place may not be sufficient to prevent the country's healthcare system from collapsing.
According to the latest figures, Japan has recorded 10,751 cases of COVID-19, with 171 deaths. The country's healthcare system is under immense pressure, with hospitals struggling to cope with the influx of patients.
Dr. Kentaro Iwata, an infectious diseases specialist from Kobe University, has repeatedly criticized the government's response to the crisis. Speaking at a press briefing, he warned that the system is on the verge of collapse in many places in Japan.
"The system is on the verge of collapse in many places in Japan," Dr. Iwata said. "We needed to prepare for once the situation changes, once the cluster-chasing became not effective and we needed to change strategy immediately."
However, the government has argued that it has adjusted its strategy, boosting testing capacity, changing rules that required all positive cases to remain in hospitals, and imposing the state of emergency to reduce the spread. But medical experts have called the measures insufficient.
Haruo Ozaki, president of the Tokyo Medical Association, warned that beds for novel coronavirus patients continue to be almost full. "Beds for novel coronavirus patients continue to be almost full," he said. "We are doing our best… but infections are spreading faster than expected."
The health minister has acknowledged that hospitals have in some cases turned away suspected coronavirus patients in ambulances. The association has been increasing beds but with a large number of new cases coming in every day, "beds are being occupied instantly," he said.
