Abstract: The new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak poses the biggest challenge to the world since the end of World War II, and its impact has far exceeded the epidemic itself. Since the spread of the epidemic in Japan in February 2020, it has many impacts on Japans economy and society. The outbreak of the epidemic has spawned new ways of working; it has highlighted the lagging of information and communication technology in the education sector; the epidemic has had a greater impact on lowincome groups; the relationship between men and women has been challenged again;the degree of “no contact” has increased. The epidemic is like a magnifying glass, highlighting the potential social problems in Japan. At the same time, the epidemic is like an accelerator, accelerating the pace of social change in Japan. It seems difficult for Japanese society in the “post corona” era to go back to the past.So, where will Japanese society go?

Key words: Novel coronavirus pneumonia, Japanese society, the lagging in education, “postcorona” era, new ways of working