Originally published on February 8, 2020. This article introduces an essay by alpinist Ken Noguchi in the Sankei Shimbun and criticizes the lack of a sense of crisis among Japan’s politicians, bureaucrats, and the public amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. Referring to China’s concealment during SARS, swift border-control measures by other countries, Japan’s Diet debates, and Noguchi’s own experience at a hotel during a suspected infectious illness, it argues that Japan must realistically prepare for the worst before the Olympic Games.

February 8, 2020
There is something I remembered because of this lack of a sense of crisis. In the spring two years ago, while staying at a hotel in Nagoya, I was struck by a high fever and trembling, suspected influenza, and was about to go to a hospital.
The following is from an essay by alpinist Ken Noguchi, published in yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun under the title “Japan’s Politics, Bureaucracy, and Public Have No Sense of Crisis.”
The spread of the novel coronavirus infection is showing an explosive expansion day by day.
During SARS, which also spread in China in 2003, it was widely reported that “the Chinese government’s tendency to conceal information delayed the response.”
Many people must have felt distrust this time as well, wondering, “Was China concealing the coronavirus again after all?”
Without waiting for the WHO（World Health Organization）to declare a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” various countries took swift action first.
North Korea, in an attempt to prevent virus infection from China at the water’s edge, banned the entry of Chinese nationals until a vaccine was developed.
In the Philippines, about 700 tourists who had arrived from Wuhan were forcibly sent back, and entry was refused not only from mainland China but also from Hong Kong and Macau.
Australia, the United States, Singapore, and others also took swift border-control measures, such as refusing entry from China.
Meanwhile, in Japan’s Diet, a great deal of time was spent every day on opposition-party questioning over the “cherry blossom-viewing party” and the “IR corruption case.”
I do not deny the importance of those matters themselves, but surely now is not the time.
The slowness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in deciding to raise the level of infectious disease risk information also exposed a lack of a sense of crisis.
There is something I remembered because of this lack of a sense of crisis.
In the spring two years ago, while staying at a hotel in Nagoya, I was struck by a high fever and trembling, suspected influenza, and was about to go to a hospital.
I called the front desk and said, “It may be influenza, so could you allow me to use the back elevator so that I do not come into contact with other guests?”
However, they replied, “As long as the person is conscious, we cannot allow that elevator to be used.”
I could hardly believe my ears and said, “It may be an infectious disease. Even if I had SARS, would I still have to use the ordinary elevator?” but they merely repeated, “Yes.”
The result of the examination at the hospital was sepsis.
Fortunately, it was not something that could infect other people, but that is hindsight.
It was a large hotel where many foreign guests also stay.
Japan, which aims to receive 40 million foreign travelers and has the Olympics just ahead, must realistically prepare not only for terrorism countermeasures but for every field, assuming “the worst-case scenario,” including legal systems that are still lacking.