Experiences of and Responses to COVID-19 in East Asia: The Cases of Japan and Korea

ABSTRACT

Although the outbreak of COVID-19 has spread around the globe to become a pandemic, differences between the West and the East are observed. In the case of East Asia, represented by Japan and Korea, relatively low prevalence and death rates are reported. This chapter therefore aims to explain the phenomenon with reference to the knowledge of social sciences, with specific focus on the healthcare measures and initiatives on the older adults. Possible reasons of the effectiveness would also be illustrated. It is expected that this chapter may provide a lesson learned in these two East Asian countries fighting against the epidemic situation. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.