88 Overall Score (down 2 since Aug 1st.)

Japan

  • 40.1 Public Health
    Directives
  • 100 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 40.1 Public Health
    Directives
  • 100 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication

Japan has a strong overall score, driven by its generous financial response and a reliance on facts, although its public health policy is very weak.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Despite being among the most heavily indebted countries in the Index, Japan’s healthcare system is very strong, contributing to its relatively strong score.

  • Debt/GDP ratio 237.1%
  • GDP/capita $46,827
  • Gini coefficient (out of 100) 32.9
  • Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 2
  • Healthcare access score (out of 100) 89
  • Hospital beds/1,000 People 97.1

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Sep 1.)
40.1

Public Health Directives

Japan scored near the median on public health policy, with strong scores on school closings and travel restrictions countered by a weak stay-at-home order and limited testing.

  • Stay at home order 1
  • Public gathering restrictions 0
  • School closings 1
  • Public event cancellations 1
  • Testing policy 1
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $136.78
  • Travel restrictions 3
  • Tests/1,000 people 14
  • Contact tracing 2
100

Financial Response

Japan has a very strong score on its financial response, with the highest stimulus and debt relief in the Index, although its income support is relatively weak.

  • Financial stimulus as share of GDP 42.2%
  • Income support 1
  • Debt forebearance 2
100

Fact-Based Communication

Japan’s government is very strong in this category as it has not engaged in misinformation or limited press freedom in response to COVID-19.

  • Reliance on science/fact based information 0
  • Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Sep 1

Japan has one of the highest scores in this category, led by case and death rates that are the lowest in the Index, and a low positivity rate, although its low public health policy score and median change in positivity rate mean that these numbers could rise rapidly if conditions change.

  • Total deaths 1,296
  • Death rate per 100K 10.2
  • Total cases 68,392
  • Cases per 100K 541
  • Percent of positive tests 4
  • Change in positivity rates +0.4
Case Trend Line
Daily cases
Date Status New Cases/1M
1 May 25 State of emergency is lifted everywhere 0.31
2 Jul 15 Rise in cases leads to requests to limit traveling outside Tokyo, and going to karaoke clubs or bars, until the end of August 2.64

Differentiating Factors

Compared with Other Island Nations
  • 66.3
    Iceland 2,107
    Cases     6,174
    Per 1M     10
    Deaths

    Iceland has a very strong score, owing heavily to its reliance on facts as well as generous debt and income support; its large improvement since January was keyed by significant improvements in public health policy and financial support.

  • 80.6
    Indonesia 174,796
    Cases     639
    Per 1M     7,417
    Deaths

    Indonesia scores relatively weakly, a big drop in the past few months, keyed by substantial weakening of travel restrictions, testing policy, and debt relief.

  • 100
    New Zealand 1,401
    Cases     291
    Per 1M     22
    Deaths

    New Zealand has had very strong policy, particularly with regard to its reliance on science and facts and its relatively strong financial response.

  • 63.7
    Taiwan 488
    Cases     21
    Per 1M     7
    Deaths

    Taiwan has a relatively strong policy score, but its minimal stimulus and weak debt relief bring it down. However, the data does not accurately measure its advanced contact tracing, which may have diminished the need for more restrictions; this likely results in a score that underestimates Taiwan’s response.

Further Reading From Foreign Policy

Be the source of actionable insight.

Select one of the subscription options below to read the full Covid-19 Global Response Index. Unlock even more global intelligence with a subscription to FP Insider.

Already an FP Insider?

Best Value

One-Year All Access
FP Insider

$450

1-year of full access to FP Insider exclusive content and subscription benefits

See benefits  ▾

  • All FP Analytics Special Reports, including the COVID-19 Global Response Index
  • FP Analytics Power Maps
  • Editorial conference calls
  • Unlimited articles on ForeignPolicy.com
  • Digital and print editions of FP’s award-winning magazine
  • Print archive, containing 50 years of FP journalism
  • Subscriber-only newsletters
  • Security and defense news alerts
  • Bonus episodes of FP podcasts
  • FP mobile app

❌ Hide benefits

 

One-Month
COVID-19 Report Bundle

$150

30-day Access to the COVID-19 Global Response Index and Global Race to Vaccinate report

Looking for group access? Contact us directly

New Zealand

Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

  • Debt to GDP ratio
  • Infant mortality rates
  • Hospital beds per 1,000 people
  • Gini coefficients measuring inequality
  • Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

  • Stay-at home orders
  • School-closing policy
  • Public-gathering restrictions
  • Cancellation of public events
  • Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
  • Emergency healthcare spending per capita
  • Travel restrictions
  • Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

  • Stimulus package as a share of GDP
  • Income support
  • Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

  • Instances of misinformation by leadership
  • Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

  • Death rates per 1 million
  • Case rates per 1 million