I don't think it is possible to recover from coronavirus in the next 5 years. Recovery is not just about people being free from the threat of the coronavirus, because some will die from financial causes as the global economy deteriorates. Restaurant business has been notably damaged, but the impact is not limited to that. A serious problem worldwide is the shortage of semiconductors. This is said to have slowed the development of the world economy and science very much. In Japan, the International Olympic Committee is also demanding requesting to host the Tokyo Olympics. In other words, people from various countries will come and go, and I think this is a major factor in the spread of the virus. In other words, I see the economic recession and the problem of hosting the Olympics as the two major obstacles towards recovery.

Up until now, the main method of people's work, which has been the foundation of the economy, has been face-to-face. Recently, national and medical institutions have recommended (started using) remote working. Not only that, but also live performances have been restricted not only in the music industry, but also in educational institutions. For example, if we think about the music industry, it is not only those who try to hold live concerts that will suffer financially from the restrictions, but also those who make goods and those who work to distribute them. The same thing happens in other industries, and in some the lack of the semiconductors which I described may affect smooth connections in the lack of PC machine parts due to the remote work promotion.

Regarding the Tokyo Olympics, this is a very difficult issue. There is an agreement between the International Olympic Committee and the host country that any compensation related to the Olympics will be borne by the host country. The IOC makes a profit from its contracts with broadcasting companies, but that doesn't happen unless the Olympics take place. In addition, if the IOC loses the case, Japan will have to pay full compensation. And the biggest problem is how to handle a large number of tourists entering the country if the Olympics are held. Experts believe that strict arrangements need to be made, such as quarantining people for a few days after they enter the country before finally allowing them to operate freely. Some people have suggested that trainers of athletes should be treated as an exception to the rule, but I believe that the trainers should make adjustments to handle such matters, by for example entering the country earlier, because it is an important part of their job, and no exceptions should be made to the regulation. It is difficult to coordinate, but since the situation involves a national crisis, tourists, foreign athletes, and of course, people in Japan should think and act carefully.

To sum up these opinions, I believe that five years is too short a time for a full recovery, not only in Japan but worldwide, due to the semi-irreversible economic de-facilitation caused by the Olympics and the shift to remote work formats.