COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
The COVID-19 pandemic in Japan is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The Japanese government confirmed the country's first case of the disease on 16 January 2020 in a resident of Kanagawa Prefecture who had returned from Wuhan, China. This was followed by a second outbreak that was introduced by travellers and returnees from Europe and the United States between 11 March 2020 and 23 March 2020. According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the majority of viruses spreading in Japan derive from the European type, while those of the Wuhan type have been disappearing since March. On 5 October 2020, the number of confirmed cases in Japan exceeded the number of confirmed cases in China. At the end of October 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the country crossed the 100,000-mark. The number of confirmed cases in Japan also crossed the 200,000-mark on 22 December 2020, the 300,000-mark on 14 January 2021, the 400,000-mark on 6 February 2021, the 500,000-mark on 11 April 2021, the 600,000-mark on 3 May 2021 and the 700,000-mark on 21 May 2021 and is on track to cross the 800,000-mark. At the end of 2020, there were about 230,000 COVID-19 cases in the country. On 16 January 2021, the first anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic in Japan was commemorated. It was two days after the number of confirmed cases in the country exceeded 300,000. On 20 January 2021, the number of deaths in Japan exceeded the number of deaths in China. About three months later, on 27 April 2021, the number of deaths in the country crossed the 10,000-mark.

Japan is one of the most affected countries in the world. Cases in the country constitute nearly 0.44% of global cases. Japan is also the most affected country in East Asia. Cases in the country constitute more than two thirds of cases in East Asia. Tokyo is the most affected prefecture in Japan, with nearly 180,000 cases. The country also joined the list of 40 countries with the most COVID-19 cases on 9 January 2021.

The Japanese government has adopted various measures to limit or prevent the outbreak. On 30 January 2020, former prime minister Shinzo Abe established the to oversee the government's response to the pandemic. On 27 February 2020, he requested the temporary closure of all Japanese elementary, junior high, and high schools until early April 2020. The pandemic continues to be a concern for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Although the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee negotiated its postponement until 2021, reports conclude that a cancellation of the games is still an option - although prime minister Yoshihide Suga has dismissed the idea of it happening.

On 7 April 2020, Abe proclaimed a one-month state of emergency for Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. On 16 April 2020, the declaration was extended to the rest of the country for an indefinite period. The state of emergency was lifted in an increasing number of prefectures during May 2020, extending to the whole country by 25 May 2020.

The 75th anniversary of the announcement of the Japanese surrender in World War II was commemorated in badly-hit Tokyo on 15 August 2020. It was three days after the number of COVID-19 cases in Japan exceeded 50,000.

On 7 January 2021, Suga declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and the prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa effective from 8 January until 7 February. Japan's death rate per capita from coronavirus is one of the lowest in the developed world, despite its aging population. Factors suggested to explain this include the government response, a milder strain of the virus, cultural habits such as bowing etiquette and wearing face masks, hand washing with sanitizing equipment, a protective genetic trait, and a relative immunity conferred by the mandatory BCG tuberculosis vaccine.

A University of Washington excess fatality analysis published in May 2021 notes that the official figures may only reflect 10 percent of the actual number.
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COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
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