TOKYO -- Japan was warned in 2018 it needed to improve risk communications by the World Health Organization, but failed to act on the advice until the coronavirus crisis deepened this month.
Two years ago, the Geneva-based WHO evaluated Japan's capacity to deal with public health emergencies. The country scored strongly in most categories, but came up short in risk communications, which were rated 3 on the scale of 5. The UN body specifically pointed out the absence of a dedicated risk communications officer, a strategy to address rumors, and a mechanism to identify public perception gaps.
