This article introduces an essay by Hidenori Kakehi examining China’s responsibility for repeatedly failing to correct serious public-health and sanitation problems.
It also addresses the Chinese authorities’ grave initial failures during the novel coronavirus outbreak, the WHO’s reliance on information supplied by Beijing, and China’s decision not to restrict overseas travel even after Wuhan was placed under lockdown.

July 2, 2020
The Chinese government bears responsibility for failing to implement effective corrective measures, even though serious problems had occurred repeatedly.
Furthermore, in the present novel coronavirus crisis, the Chinese authorities’ initial response was seriously flawed.
The following is taken from an essay by Hidenori Kakehi entitled “Scientific Minds Saved Japan,” published in the latest issue of the monthly magazine Seiron, which went on sale yesterday.
The monthly magazine Seiron is essential reading not only for the Japanese people but also for people throughout the world.
Although it is filled with genuine essays such as this one, it costs only 900 yen, including tax.
The Japanese people must go immediately to their nearest bookstore and purchase a copy.
On May 15, the government decided to lift the state of emergency imposed in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak in the remaining five prefectures.
At a press conference that day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded to a reporter’s question by saying that it was still too early to conduct a review and reach an overall assessment.
It is true that the battle against the novel coronavirus will continue for some time.
However, now that the first wave has passed, I believe it is important to review what has happened thus far in order to prepare for the second wave that may come.
There are various theories concerning how the novel coronavirus emerged.
At present, it is impossible to determine whether it was an artificially created virus or whether it leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
However, even if neither possibility proves correct, this does not mean that the virus merely happened to emerge in China and then spread throughout the world as the result of an unavoidable accident.
China has frequently become the source of new infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, and avian influenza, because it has serious problems with public-health and sanitation management.
The Chinese government bears responsibility for failing to implement effective corrective measures, even though serious problems had occurred repeatedly.
Furthermore, in the present novel coronavirus crisis, the Chinese authorities’ initial response was seriously flawed.
By December 2019, doctors in Wuhan had already become aware of the possibility of human-to-human transmission.
The Taiwanese authorities have also published evidence showing that, during the same month, they warned the World Health Organization, the WHO, of incidents in China that suggested human-to-human transmission.
Nevertheless, in early January 2020, the Chinese government stated that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
On January 14, the WHO transmitted the information provided by the Chinese government to the rest of the world without alteration.
It was not until January 19 that the WHO acknowledged, albeit in a limited manner, the existence of human-to-human transmission.
The Chinese government placed Wuhan under lockdown on January 23.
Even after that, however, it did not restrict Chinese citizens from travelling abroad.
Instead, it condemned foreign countries that attempted to impose travel restrictions.
As a result, vast numbers of Chinese citizens travelled overseas during the Lunar New Year holiday, and the virus was spread throughout the world.
Had the outbreak originated in any country other than China, such a response would have been utterly inconceivable.
To be continued.