The novel coronavirus pandemic has illuminatedseveral challenges facing the sustainability ofJapan’s social security system. With the aging of thepopulation continuing to accelerate, our humanand material resources for healthcare andretirement have been insufficient. In addition,during this crisis, significant financial stimulusneeds to be mobilized on the back of Japan’sstagnating economy, but as most of this moneyderives from the issuance of government bonds, itis impossible for the government to spend asmuch as it desires. Much of Japan’s social securitysystem was established in a post-war period wherepriorities were predominantly infectious diseasesand acute illnesses. Over time, the system hasevolved to address the treatment of chronicillnesses and Japan’s aging demographics, butdiscussions on securing the necessary resourcesfor this fundamental evolution have beeninsufficient. On a positive note, as we continue to evolve as adata-based society, we have begun to grasp theimpact of COVID-19 in real time with the activecooperation of civil society. While this is anencouraging sign that bodes well for the future ofJapanese society, the state of Japan’s infrastructurehas been inadequate when compared to othercountries. For example, in evaluating theGovernment’s uniform provision of 100,000 yenper person, clearly there is an unrealizedopportunity to take a needs-based approachpredicated on the integration and application ofdata.Amid this pandemic, there have been twofundamental ways of thinking about socialdistancing policies. One is for society to confer thegovernment with vast authority to monitor thesocial and economic activities of each individual.The other is for the government to proactivelydisclose and share information, so that civil societycan understand the situation and how it mayevolve in an accurate and thorough manner,before proceeding with the active cooperation ofcivil society. Although some temporary measuresmay be unavoidable in emergency situations, Japanmust pursue the latter option in the medium tolong term. Only by doing so can we remain thesociety that our predecessors have created, whereour people can freely and actively determine ourown future.This is not merely a matter of theoretical reflectionbut a very real choice that is facing us. The novelcoronavirus is a major crisis for mankind, but evenmore importantly, the real danger lies in makingthe wrong choice for our future. In order to ensurethat we make the right choice, we must take thisopportunity to reform outmoded systems andways of thinking that have been overly tailored fora society in the past and are no longer relevant forour future.INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION |PAGE | 01...we must take this opportunity toreform outmoded systems andways of thinking...
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