Open AccessCOVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: Containment Failed or Successful?
Author(s) -
Takashi Yamazaki
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geopolítica(s)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.19
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 2172-3958
pISSN - 2172-7155
DOI - 10.5209/geop.69163
Subject(s) - geopolitics , pandemic , social distance , devolution (biology) , political science , covid-19 , state (computer science) , power (physics) , political economy , development economics , economic system , geography , sociology , economics , law , politics , medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , human evolution , physics , disease , pathology , algorithm , quantum mechanics , computer science , archaeology
This short article examines key governmental measures against the spread of COVID-19 in Japan from a geopolitical perspective. “Geopolitical” in this article means to see the measures as spatial strategies. At the stage of globalized pandemic, state territoriality or border control is no longer able to effectively control the spread of the virus. Instead, this article argues, multi-scalar intergovernmental coordination is inevitable to tackle the virus moving along increasing trans-border/local human flows. Using the case of Japan, this article overviews how effective social distancing as a spatial strategy has been and illustrates how the limits to such a strategy to control human behavior can affect anti-virus measures. In conclusion, this article argues that the effective devolution of state power to local governments and the strengthening of state supplementary function to sustain local healthcare system and economy would be more desirable than the authoritative concentration of state power in the state of emergency.