Although the sixth wave of novel coronavirus infections has apparently peaked out, deaths among elderly COVID-19 patients could continue to increase at a disturbing rate.
Japan paid a whopping 1.142 trillion yen ($10 billion) to hospitals in fiscal 2020 through a subsidy program introduced amid the pandemic to ensure COVID-19 patients have access to proper care.
The drop in new COVID-19 cases in Japan can be attributed mainly to the spread of vaccines, but the situation emerging overseas shows that inoculations are not a panacea, a leading expert said.
Initial cheers for the eased COVID-19 restrictions on business travelers returning to Japan have turned into groans and complaints about complicated application procedures and impractical rules.