AUTHOR=Allgayer Sasha , Kanemoto Emi 

TITLE=The <Three Cs> of Japan’s Pandemic Response as an Ideograph

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Communication

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.595429

DOI=10.3389/fcomm.2021.595429

ISSN=2297-900X

ABSTRACT=While the COVID-19 pandemic soared across the world and changed the political dynamics on a global scale, Japan was viewed by some news sources as a “miracle” exception that beat the anticipated projections by experts of how the virus would affect the nation. Though there are a number of potential guesses about Japan’s initial pandemic outcome, which include low numbers of testing, an existing culture of mask-wearing, sanitation, and certain degree of social distancing, the political environment and communication from the government have also been accredited to the so-called “success” of Japan’s pandemic experience. By using the concept of ideograph, this study rhetorically analyzes the key slogan that emerged from Japanese political discourse surrounding the COVID-19 situation: 3つの密 - Mittsu no Mitsu [The Three Cs]. Specifically, the authors conclude the ways in which