TOKYO -- The COVID-19 pandemic is casting a dark shadow over the education of young people in Japan, who hold the key to the country's future. That, in turn, could impose heavy economic costs over the medium to long term.
The novel coronavirus crisis outbreak has forced restaurants and other providers of part-time jobs to suspend or shorten hours and cut wages, taking a bite out of student incomes. If the number of students who cannot afford school continues to rise, the implications for Japan are grave.