COVID-19: A Homogeneous Nation Like Japan Might Fare Better

America,Asia,Culture,Healthcare,IMMIGRATION,Multiculturalism,Nationalism

            
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Thirteen minutes and 35 seconds into this interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Martha MacCallum asks about Japan.

The country, 127 million strong, has had only 771 deaths, and has, according to Ms. MacCallum, not implemented the social mitigation strategies seen in the US and Europe.

You and I know what’s afoot in Japan, other than that its people sport a culture of cleanliness, and have been adopting masking habits for quite some time. (More here and here about Japanese culture and etiquette.)

More crucially, Japan is an almost completely homogeneous nation, with little immigration, and hence a strong, common sense of purpose and shared fellow feeling. Citizens are more inclined to pull together in common purpose when there is a fellow feeling that binds them.

Dr. Fauci hinted at it. Counties have “different sizes and different borders, and different infusions from outside,” concedes the good doctor.

*Japanese have long since worn masks. ©paylessimages/123RF.COM