The country’s finance minister even suggested a higher “cultural standard” helped contain the disease.
財務大臣は民度の高さが病気を抑えたとすら言った

But now the island nation is facing a formidable resurgence, with Covid-19 cases hitting records nationwide day after day.
しかし、
日本は再び感染拡大の危機に直面し、
日々感染者数を拡大している

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-31/japan-acted-like-the-virus-had-gone-now-it-s-spread-everywhere?srnd=premium-asia