Japan's coronavirus testing behind the curve, Abe admits

Inability to gauge infection rate hinders strategy to reopen the economy

Admitting insufficient testing capacity, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised to add more PCR centers. © Reuters

Nikkei staff writers

May 5, 2020 04:46 JST

TOKYO -- Japan's coronavirus testing has been insufficient by international standards as the nation lacked the capacity to respond to a new epidemic outbreak, the government conceded Monday, recognizing a serious roadblock to reopening the economy.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that "personnel-related bottlenecks" have hindered broader use of polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, screening for the virus. "I recognize that testing has been inadequate."