Mask resellers could face 1 year in prison, ¥1 mil fine under new ban

I thought it was up to 5 years... Must have missed something. Was that the original proposal and it got limited to 1?

A large crowd of mask-wearing commuters walk through Shinagawa Station 

I haven't seen a crowd like this since I went to see The Who.

At least 9 out of 10 people here don't need to be wearing those masks. They're healthy, at least physically, and aren't coughing or sneezing. The chance that wearing a mask will prevent infection if the coronavirus is present in the station or on the train is near zero. Now for those who are sick/coughing/sneezing, yeah, wear the mask. Better yet, stay away from the stations and off the trains. But that would be "neglecting" work, so no can do.

WakarimasenToday  04:45 pm JST

So a chemist or conbini or wherever that now sells a mask for more than it paid the wholesaler or manufacturer is guilty of a crime?

No, Selling at normal retail prices is perfectly fine.

In a prominent example of price gouging, an assemblyman in central Japan was revealed to have made 8.9 million yen off of selling packets of 2,000 face masks in online auctions for between 30,000 yen to 170,000 yen each.

What a scumbag! He's an assemblyman, someone who is supposed to set an example for citizens, and he does something like this.

He later apologized.

Did he get to keep the 8.9 million yen?

A friend in California says the panicking idiots there have caused the price of a single roll of toilet paper ( not premium toilet paper, just your average toilet paper ) to skyrocket to $2. One roll! And that's at the discount stores! Jeez...

When the first person or persons are charged and made a lesson to all, then I will believe this. Until then, this is nothing more than Abe throwing a shiny object out to distract the masses for his previous inactions.

The official said it was unclear whether the assemblyman, 53-year-old Hiroyuki Morota of Shizuoka Prefecture, could have been charged under the new rule because he runs a trading company and may not be classified as a reseller.

And he says that with a straight face without any shame as it would make any sense.

How about mask companies step up to the challenge and produce more masks?

If it's true that many are infected but asymptomatic, it's better for everyone that more people are wearing masks

Just stop wearing 'em if you aren't sick. Problem solve

Yeah, good point @ian. I was tossed between this and Only recommending the mass with those with visible symptoms. But I guess since the symptoms can be lenient Until a few days after you get it, I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially considering how widely this is spreading outside of China and places like that.

All the smart people in the photo are the ones without masks on. Just like me.

The disgusting habits of touching the front of the mask to stop and take a smoke break or to drink something or to eat something is totally wrong. Then they grab the front of the mask to pull it back up. They might as well lick escalator rails.

Good.

But people could be infectious without showing symptoms of sickness

Hopefully supplies of diapers and toilet paper have normalized, it certainly seem that way to supermarkets I go to here in Osaka

Fair enough. Such profiteering is immoral, but then there are always those who will make a mint out of people's miseries and bad times.

They're known as capitalists.

At least 9 out of 10 people here don't need to be wearing those masks.

Is this your professional advice?

@Reckless

Sounds like any Friday or Saturday night, after about 9.30!

You can only buy at regular prices if you're already sick? That's not too smart.

Akie; Mask is not medicine, it doesn't kill the virus inside your body, it is for preventive porpurse, before you get sick.

Akie, when you sneeze or cough spray comes out of your mouth with the infection and gets on people around you. Masks are not to project you, they are to project others from being sprayed with your gems.

Akie, Why twist my words. You know what I mean!

Another well thought out law, urge, pledge.

In a prominent example of price gouging, an assemblyman in central Japan was revealed to have made 8.9 million yen off of selling packets of 2,000 face masks in online auctions for between 30,000 yen to 170,000 yen each. He later apologized.

So we are sure he didn't get the 1 year in prison correct? (An earlier article said 5 years. Guess they were afraid politicians would be price gouging.)

That would mean; he apologized and paid a 1,000,000JPY fine and was able to keep 7,900,000JPY? So what is the deterrent?

Diapers are a necessity, masks are not for 99% of the population.

Diapers and toilet paper should be on the list.

A lot has changed since '73. Doubt nappies will be snapped up anytime soon (unless the geriatric version).

Nappiesshould be fine.

Oh,

Oh, they possibility some people could buy them up to use as masks, like the people doing the same with the bras?

Then, I'm all for them to be added to the list!

You mean the law says that if you predate the sale it's legal?

Akie

If a mask was a condom, then it would be effective.

It's effective but, like a condom, it depends on who's wearing it

This will just make people more likely to sell their mask to other countries where the virus is spreading more than Japan.

The JP government need to enact laws faster than their current phase. The price-gouging practice on masks started early in February - they should've acted right away when NHK reported about it at that time. 1 month later, geez.

japan should say clearly , that mask is a business. Not the grey zone again. putting on fines???, lets see if that politician will be fined soon ???.

Akie

If a mask was a condom, then it would be effective.

Yes this is just PR stunt, I will believe it when they actually arrest someone

it will be good start to make an example of that low life politician who made a killing auctioning off his masks first

since1981 said "when you sneeze or cough spray comes out of your mouth with the infection and gets on people around you. Masks are not to project you, they are to project others from being sprayed with your gems."

Your "they are to project others from being sprayed with your gems" killed your "Masks are not to project you".

Logic doesn't lie.

People not sick should pay at least 10 times the price in order to keep masks available for the ones who really need them (front line medics and sick people).

Because for not sick people this is a fashionable article, which can be sold legally 1000 times higher than its value.

ian said "You can only buy at regular prices if you're already sick? That's not too smart."

Of course not smart. Mask is not medicine, it doesn't kill the virus inside your body, it is for preventive porpurse, before you get sick.

Why ? Masks have no use to protect virus, according to the best doctors of world.

Don't get confused by deal leaders and the best doctors.

Mask is condom on face, as simple as that.

Easy workaround: I sell the masks to my friend at an inflated price - of course predated to before the law was enacted so THAT sale is legal. Then he sells at the same price he paid, thereby legal. じゃじゃん！

Hmmmmm.....

Who decides what is "normal retail price"??  Do all masks sell for the same price?  Government can now decide what is a reasonable retail mark up?

You should be able to buy a bunch in peace times and then be able to sell in times when stocks out.

Is that now punishable by law?

So a chemist or conbini or wherever that now sells a mask for more than it paid the wholesaler or manufacturer is guilty of a crime?