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Sharp holding lottery for popular masks

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Do Japanese public not understand that these cloth masks are next to useless for coronavirus prevention?

These cloth masks only help to prevent a sick person from passing his or her coronavirus onto others, but not prevent catching it.

Are there no n95 masks available in Japan?

-10 ( +12 / -22 )

Some Japanese hospitals have complained about a mask shortage. Masks have been sometimes hard to find at stores around Japan.

Don't try and fool anyone JT. Masks haven't been available at most stores for weeks/months. I have not seen a mask in ANY store, and when I do, there is a huge queue and only a limited quantity available.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Drug Store Create had them last week.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

If you’re in Tokyo, go to Shin-Okubo to find masks. They’re imported from Korea and plentifully available. No lines.

They’re also available in Shimokitazawa and Sangenjaya but you have to look for them. In Shin-Okubo every drugstore sells them. Can’t miss it.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

quercetum,

Excellent information......thanks.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Why are the Sharp masks popular? My wife ordered some foam style ones from Korea, which are the bees knees. No fogging of glasses, comfortable, washable and stay perfectly comfortable.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Companies donate free masks and food in Hawaii.

Doesn't Sharp know many people don't have jobs and are struggling?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Shouldn't Sharp be ashamed for price gouging? 800 yen masks for 2.980 yen. Way to go Sharp

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Look on the bright side. We'll all be getting our two masks from the government! LOL!!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Samit BasuToday  06:48 am JST

Do Japanese public not understand that these cloth masks are next to useless for coronavirus prevention?

These cloth masks only help to prevent a sick person from passing his or her coronavirus onto others, but not prevent catching it.

1) For the general public, wearing a mask is a citizen action. You do not wear it to protect yourself but the others to avoid an exponential surge of the infection, mostly because of the high ratio of people unaware they have been contaminated (mild and asymptomatic cases) and are real propagation vectors. No need for high certified grade masks for that, the Abe's cloth one would do the job.

2) Medical frontline need high efficiency masks (e.g. N95) to protect themselves too. But to be efficient a strict protocol to wear and handle these masks must be adhered to. This is almost not realistic for general public.

This is where lies the big confusion about wearing a mask or not.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Before masks disappeared from the shops, I got them for less than 500 yen per box of 50. Yes, they were clean.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

This article is obviously written by someone who doesn't live in Japan. For the past 2 months, masks have been sold out at every drugstore across the country. Lines form about an hour before a store opens in hopes of getting a pack. It's like winning the freakin lottery.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Japan Rakuten has tons of masks online.

Cheaper than Sharp.

Last week at Lawson 7 for ¥330.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Samit Basu

Do Japanese public not understand that these cloth masks are next to useless for coronavirus prevention?

These cloth masks only help to prevent a sick person from passing his or her coronavirus onto others, but not prevent catching it.

People "not passing it on" is an important part of the process. Given the asymptomatic aspect of CV-19, if EVERYONE wore a mask, we'd be well down the path of recovery.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The people complaining about the increased pricing of the masks may not be aware that the open-market cost of the polypropylene fabric used in manufacturing them has gone up by a factor of 10 times (from about 6000 yen a roll to over 60,000) since the start of the year.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

No shop, pharmacy or supermarket in my area has had masks for weeks.

No surgical grade masks should be on sale to the public, they should all be going to hospitals, care homes and carers.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

People "not passing it on" is an important part of the process. Given the asymptomatic aspect of CV-19, if EVERYONE wore a mask, we'd be well down the path of recovery.

Masks are not hazmat suits that make you immune! Yes, wearing a mask can somewhat reduce the chances of getting infected but it depends on the type of mask and proper usage of it. If I have the virus and ride the train or go to crowded places while wearing a mask I will still infect many people. Take a moment and think how medical professionals such as doctors and nurses get infected even though both the patients as well as the medical professionals wear masks. They even wear hand gloves and safety glasses yet they get infected. People should wear masks as a precautionary measure but avoid crowds and non essentials things outdoors! Many people in Japan think that by wearing a mask they are automatically protected and can go everywhere and do usual things! This way the infection rate will never go down! We need to combine many combative measures together with washing hands properly ( not just few seconds under the water ) to have any chance of winning against the outbreak!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I got six thumbs down for telling that Creat had them this past week. Had them his weekend too so far. Come and get them. Nationwide drug store. Go for it.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It is difficult to find a surgical mask made in Japan. I totally agree with sharp's decision to provide good quality mask to consumer in Japan. However, it is caused by technical problem of their servers, they don't estimate demands and how much access to their web site.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Multiple pop-up shops on my street selling a 50 box of masks for 3500 yen, a little high, but not too bad considering I can just walk outside and pick up a pack.

A company as large as Sharp having a failing webpage, and then "fixing" it by randomly picking people to be "allowed" to buy their masks??? Disgraceful.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Did sharo receive funding from the 15.3 billion yen supplementary budget that the government was giving out to increase madk production? If they did then it is price gouging selling for 3640 yen including shipping.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

JeffLee

My wife ordered some foam style ones from Korea, which are the bees knees. No fogging of glasses, comfortable, washable and stay perfectly comfortable

Comfortable. But, useless.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

2,980 yen... Isn’t this price gouging? These boxes of mask containing 50/100 pieces were sold for less than 500yen before. Sharp had claimed that they were making these mask yo help people but in reality it was all about making money in the times of suffering! When big companies increase their prices due to demand then they are not penalized and don’t face any consequences! But if small mom and pop stores raise their prices a bit then they are prosecuted! This is pathetic!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Concerning claims of price gouging: Did Sharp make masks before this? If so, did they make masks in high volume?

If not, this is probably not price gouging. As someone working in manufacturing here in Japan, I can say that retooling to make a new product is extremely expensive. The big players have already long recouped their NRE costs and they likely have international supply chains that greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing and logistics. If Sharp is a new player in the mask game, then it's going to be really expensive for them.

It's like the difference between Made in America and Made in China, for my fellow American expats here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

2,980 yen... Isn’t this price gouging?

More like the usual price fixing that goes on in Japan. Sharp saw that everyone else was selling them for 3,000 yen, and so they followed suit.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And of course, now that the day has come, the website has crashed - 502 error on trying to submit the form.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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