Telemedicine has seen rapid development all over the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to other developed countries, the adoption of telemedicine has been sluggish in Japan. Most of the developed countries are focusing on the development of telemedicine as a national policy, which is why telemedicine is developing. Although telemedicine has been available in Japan for some time, it was only an adjunct to face-to-face treatment. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, the introduction of telemedicine is rapidly gaining momentum as regulations have been significantly eased to allow for initial consultations and new prescriptions other than those for on-demand use. This article compares the background and current status of telemedicine in Japan and other countries where telemedicine is making progress, and outlines the future prospects of telemedicine.