When COVID-19 first hit Japan, the unemployment rate barely increased compared to here in the U.S. According to Ben Dooley from the New York Times, the unemployment rate increased by just 2.6% since February 2020. Some social, demographic, and epidemiological factors in Japan have shown that the “economic slowdown has not produced mass layoffs” (Dooley, 2020). The companies in Japan prioritize the employee’s interest over that of the shareholders, which is a good thing for a company to keep its employees happy so they will be willing to do their best work within the company. The country has avoided a spike in COVID-19 cases which allowed for it to keep more of the economy open and have companies provide good job security in return for long hours. They are also not allowed to lay off an employee without proof that there is no other choice. Due to COVID-19 and the growing popularity of online stores, online shopping has become much more popular when purchasing items like clothing and other consumer goods.
