ABSTRACT
One characteristic of the healthcare structure in Japan is that, compared with other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, fewer substantive acute phase beds are avail- able to handle highly complex pathologies, and there are fewer assigned healthcare personnel. In addition, Japan's population is aging at one of the highest rates in the world, and its healthcare system has been structured With an emphasis on treating the elderly and long-term chronic conditions. It has traditionally also lacked a mechanism to force doctors and nurses to engage in specific practices, and has struggled to deal With infectious disease pandemics. Based on the lessons learned in handling the outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that occurred in February 2020, a system for dealing with infectious disease pandemics has been developed. However, a comprehensive and justly proportional system for the provision of healthcare, including the provision of outpatient services, medical interventions for home care patients and patients in elderly welfare facilities, and healthcare provision for patients with comorbid COVID-19 has yet to be sufficiently established. As ensuring hospital beds when there is a rapidly increasing demand for hospitalization during the spread of infections remains an issue, measures have been taken such as the conclusion of agreements related to ensuring beds, a review of hospitalization criteria and ensuring beds with "rearward" acceptance, and the participation of community medicine in health observations of home care patients. However, While the characteristics of the Virus were gradually becoming clear, and vaccines and treatment methods were being developed, COVID-19 could not be positioned as one among the myriad types of disease, and many problems surfaced. As lessons from the experience of COVID-19 and measures for the future, investigations are needed based on the thinking of health risk management. It is therefore necessary to prepare and develop systems for dealing immediately with emergencies in which maintaining people's health may become difficult. The implementation of a health security system that involves national to local governments, Which already have the best healthcare provision systems, is absolutely essential. The information sharing infrastructure and how to best communicate with citizens have been issues in this pandemic, and efforts that include expertise from outside the healthcare system are needed.