Japan to ease COVID-19 guidelines for mask-wearing on March 13

The Japanese government is set to ease mask guidelines on public transport by only recommending they be worn during rush hour and other times of congestion

Mask or no Mask? Japan way no mask but with some notes.

The new guidelines, intended to help individuals gauge when to wear a mask, will call on people to keep them on in certain scenarios, such as when they have been exposed to COVID-19 or are visiting medical institutions.

Masks will also be framed as an effective way to protect oneself if they are at high-risk of developing severe symptoms, or in crowded spaces.

Yay! These new guidelines appear to be similar to the masking requirements around Austria and in Vienna.

https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information

While there has never been a mask mandate in Japan

And a vaccine one too, might I add.

Makes me wonder what the no mask/no vax fringe group is so upset about.

Guidelines or not, many of my coworkers have already stated that they will continue to wear them at work, and in crowded public places.

Personally speaking, it will 100% depend upon the situation and location!

Makes me wonder what the no mask/no vax fringe group is so upset about.

Because they THINK there has always been regulations or laws about both. Most it seem never take the time to actually figure out or comprehend what they read here regarding these issues.

Since what, May 20th of last year the Govt. said it was OK to not wear masks outdoors under most conditions. Well, yes, this is Japan and guess what, like 98% of people are still wearing them. I think the Govt. has to practically outlaw the wearing of masks before people will stop using them.

Because they THINK there has always been regulations or laws about both

Indeed. Snubbing anything that was recommended by medical professionals and offering nothing meaningful in return.

They clearly did not and are not handling the pandemic well. At all.

False. Schools have been mandating masks for 3 years which will have generational effects on already reserved children.

Nah. School rules are hardly mandated. And masks are no more harmfully than playing video games all day.

Because they THINK there has always been regulations or laws about both. 

That is part of the insidious nature of the LDP COVID response and how they àvoided public assistance to the working population while transferring public wealth to corporations.

As Abe /Suga/Aso stated Japanese 'mindo' would be the prime COVID-19 measure so crowded transportation has continued since 2020(+with assiduous masking).

The crony capitalist LDP enjoys using the Japanese proletariat as a uncomplaining human resource

my coworkers still wear them ALL THE TIME so I'm pretty sure nothing will change.

That is part of the insidious nature of the LDP COVID response and how they àvoided public assistance to the working population while transferring public wealth to corporations.

As Abe /Suga/Aso stated Japanese 'mindo' would be the prime COVID-19 measure so crowded transportation has continued since 2020(+with assiduous masking).

The crony capitalist LDP enjoys using the Japanese proletariat as a uncomplaining human resource

this!! excellent post

False. Schools have been mandating masks for 3 years which will have generational effects on already reserved children. Shame on whoever decided this and continues to support it.

One has to understand the difference between a government "mandate" vs a local school "regulation" or "guideline". The former never happened, the latter happened all over the place, and not just schools!

Oh and you probably don't realize it, but you have just "shamed" nearly 100% of the people in Japan, who have been wearing masks since long before COVID and will continue to do so long afterwards too!

While there has never been a mask mandate in Japan

False. Schools have been mandating masks for 3 years 

Many private venues (gyms, etc.) inside Japan have had and still have mask mandates. But you can choose not to enter the private venue — because there’s certainly no entrance mandate.

… so crowded transportation has continued since 2020

Were you in Japan in 2020? The number of passengers on trains fell by around 60%. Stores closed. People started working remotely.

Japan Today, isn't it time to start posting photograph showing unmasked faces? Time to get used to returning to normal.

Nice, but I haven't worn a mask on public transport in a year. Have not gotten covid. I will not be socially conditioned.

‘Masks will also be framed as an effective way to protect oneself if they are at high-risk’

Yep, they won’t use any evidence, they’ll ‘frame’ it. You couldn’t make it up.

Masks will also be framed as an effective way to protect oneself if they are at high-risk of developing severe symptoms, or in crowded spaces.

except masks have never done this......well not the paper "medical" masks or the cloth masks favoured by the majority of people anyway.....STILL with this nonsense!!

If they are going for mid-March, that means they can just say it from today...why prevaricate?

Were you in Japan in 2020? The number of passengers on trains fell by around 60%. Stores closed. People started working remotely.

Trains were still packed.

The only place I have worn the mask is at work (in a school). But I don't wear one unless I'm in the classroom or walking around. Incidentally I caught corona from a student (a number of their class was already off with corona) while I was wearing a mask and they were all wearing masks.....masks about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

With the usual groupthink, both here on JT and in Japan in general, it will be difficult to get people to release their "security blanket" dust masks.

except masks have never done this......well not the paper "medical" masks or the cloth masks favoured by the majority of people anyway.....STILL with this nonsense!!

Any recognized institution of medical science that support this personal claim you are making? because examples of the opposite (where they clearly recommend masks as an effective part of the measures to reduce importantly transmission) are there to clearly contradict it.

If the scientific consensus says one thing and nameless people on the internet say the doctors and scientists of the world are wrong because of hearsay it should be obvious who is in the wrong.

The Japanese government is set to ease mask guidelines on public transport by only recommending they be worn during rush hour and other times of congestion (most of the time!)

Masks will also be framed as an effective way to protect oneself ... in crowded spaces ... (trains and buses??

Sounds like a wishy-washy no-change policy with so many exceptions and exemptions.

If the scientific consensus says one thing and nameless people on the internet say the doctors and scientists of the world are wrong because of hearsay it should be obvious who is in the wrong.

Indeed. The WHO still recommends masks.

Masks continue to be a key tool against COVID-19

https://www.who.int/news/item/13-01-2023-who-updates-covid-19-guidelines-on-masks--treatments-and-patient-care

While there has never been a mask mandate in Japan

And a vaccine one too, might I add. 

Makes me wonder what the no mask/no vax fringe group is so upset about.

While there has never been a legal mask mandate in Japan, the social pressure to wear one has and continues to be extreme. Failure to do so would lead to various admonishments ranging from a “stink eye” (highly likely), through a verbal reprimand right through to being physically attacked (rare, but has happened). On top of that, entering any business or public transport, you have to abide by their rules - pretty much 100% require masks, again failure to do so would result in physical ejection from their premises. The fact that there is no legal mask mandate here is a mere technicality.

The vaccine situation is less severe, but again there have certainly been incentives to get triply vaccinated including discounts on hotels and easier passage through airports during international travel.

If hardly anyone listened to Kishida's announcement last May about not having to wear a mask outdoors, which is really unnecessary, what would make us think anyone will stop wearing them indoors this spring?

I'd guess over 95% of the people walking around outside still wear their masks. Hell, most people driving in their cars by themselves do so too.

Personally, I prefer to wear one indoors in crowded places or on trains. Outdoors never.

I wonder why the anti fringe minority didn't take their masks off from the very start? They didn't have to wear them.

Failure to do so would lead to various admonishments ranging from a “stink eye” (highly likely), 

That is because the stinker is absorbing your good-looks.

I know this because I nearly got one last week. I quickly put on my mask (that I am not and never have been really obliged to do) and went on my merry way. Can't beat a bit of doing your bit for the team.

Lol, do you really still wear mask in non-job related situations? I'm referring to people with western backgrounds. I mean the locals love to do what they're told, but actual westerners complying with the what is more than a mere 'onegai' has always been beyond my comprehension.

It doesn’t matter what is recommended.

It’s Japan; nobody wants to be the first guy to take it off. A fully masked populace isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

If the scientific consensus says one thing and nameless people on the internet say the doctors and scientists of the world are wrong because of hearsay it should be obvious who is in the wrong.

Sad thing is that people who literally spent their lives dedicated to research and science are being tossed aside in favor of those who think horse pills, UV light and drain cleaner are more effective than any doctor or researcher!

Would be better to tell people to wear it if they feel like and pass a bill that no one gets to impose that others need to wear a mask in public like at stores, restaurants and other businesses.

A lot of Japanese people wore masks habitually prior to COVID-19, so no surprise at all that they continue to wear them at the moment. It's served them well.

I expect there will be many who simply continue to wear them regardless. Each to their own.

Of course, the majority will continue to wear masks even when health authorities in Japan say they are not necessary outdoors or now indoors. That’s the danger of blindly submitting to rules. People talk of choice, but there is none for those who are peer pressured or socially conditioned to wear masks. Ubiquitous masking has been an absurd situation here, especially in the past year. The government has created a monster and they have no control on how to end it.

There was nothing wrong with masking at the beginning of the pandemic. But most sensible countries and their citizens dropped the habit despite medical authorities suggesting a more cautious approach. That’s what medics authorities do, but we shouldn’t be slaves to their opinions. People cite WHO but they’re always super cautious. A few years ago they declared Swine Flu a major medical emergency. It turned out to be a massive over-exaggeration.

Lol, do you really still wear mask in non-job related situations? I'm referring to people with western backgrounds. I mean the locals love to do what they're told, but actual westerners complying with the what is more than a mere 'onegai' has always been beyond my comprehension.

Sometimes I find myself wearing a mask in public and then I see a foreigner who isn't. They lock eyes with me and look at me, wondering what kind of a foreigner am I.

Regarding masks outside, the government only recommended not wearing a mask if you were more than 2m apart . Which has meant almost everyone continues to wear a mask outside.

Hopefully from March 13th (why March 13????) when all requests to wear masks are dropped should mean more people will stop wearing masks.

Good luck J Gov… Mental weakness here wont be solved by revising “guidelines”… just the other day I saw an interview of a man wearing a mask on NHK, “When will you take off your mask?” the reporter asks… “When more than 50% of the other people aren’t wearing them” was the reply…. In other words, if most people have the same line of thought mask wearing will be the status quo for a while….for the mentally weak that is. With the exception of those with Hay fever or are genuinely sick, mask wearing isn’t about Covid anymore… its fear… fear to stick out and be different.

Why do westerners make such a fuss about wearing a mask? It is no big deal and if it keeps our hosts happy, why not?

Hello Kitty 321Today  12:32 pm JST

Why do westerners make such a fuss about wearing a mask? It is no big deal and if it keeps our hosts happy, why not?

Because, many of us aren't guests but residents

Throughout the pandemic we learned Japan’s masking up is meaningless as the locals eat in restaurants with different people everyday. They spend hours inside Starbucks, Dotour cafes unmasked.

Why do westerners make such a fuss about wearing a mask? It is no big deal and if it keeps our hosts happy, why not?

Do you really believe it makes "our hosts" happy or that they even care?

As a tax paying permanent resident living here longer than the entire lives of many of “my hosts” I think I am within my rights to set an example, by following government guidelines and actually NOT wear a mask out in the street… I consider it doing my part in educating the captured majority that can’t think for themselves yet…. On some occasions I’ve had “my hosts” remove their masks upon making eye contact with me… can’t get through to everyone but happy when the message gets through...

If you wish to wear a mask to "keep our hosts happy" you are most free to do so.

Again, how do you explain all institutions that know about the topic clearly supporting the value of masks? a world wide conspiracy? obviously if the people that know more about the pandemic say something does work and show the evidence for it just pretending they must all be wrong is not an argument.

Partly mass formation psychosis and partly people not wanting to lose their jobs as they were being forced to 'think' the right way and getting bombarded with misinformation, of which you seem to be an unfortunate part.

Are you still defending jabs too, even though Anthony Fauci now says they don't work, and in fact could never have worked?

Governments got this totally wrong, either in error or deliberately, case by case.

I mean all the mask requests were done by the public volition because the government was dragging their feet as usual.

then saying it will likely not make the public or private owned places change unless they want to.

mid image stuff like plastic dividers will be taken down in places that still have them at least

"To mask or not to mask - that is the question" Influx areas - most definitely wear.

Would be better to tell people to wear it if they feel like and pass a bill that no one gets to impose that others need to wear a mask in public like at stores, restaurants and other businesses.

stores, restaurants and other businesses. are not public they are private and they allow you to enter their premises to conduct business you miss understand what is public.

Third, masks don't work. Pretty much everyone in Japan has been wearing them for almost three years now -- and during that time, we've had EIGHT waves of the COVID come and go. So how can you honestly and rationally say that masks are effective, when the very virus they're supposed to stop hasn't been stopped at all?

They do work at slowing the spread. just those that don't wash their hands and rub their eyes while wearing a mask don't work. I have been in a room with three infected people I have my vaccines had my mask washed my hands after and guess what I didn't get infected. as far as I am concerened it works.

There is no reason to wear a mask outside, but still 95% percent of japanese do this. Why? Because they want top be on safe side even there is no risk.

guidelines

That's all they've ever been, not the law. I haven't worn one for months.

Masks are ineffective against the current variants, they are a waste of time and dangerous to children’s health and the environment. The huge damage to the environment caused by discarded masks is swept under the carpet mostly, though info can easily be found online.

People citing anything the WHO say must be deluded. They are run for the benefit of cash injections for them selves amd tejero mates, not the benefit of the people.

The Japanese government is set to ease mask guidelines on public transport by only recommending they be worn during rush hour and other times of congestion

The Japanese government should know if you don't give the Japanese a clear yes or no, they will just continue to wear the masks all the time.

Just flew ANA international to USA yesterday. Didn't need to wear mask onboard. Personal choice.

If vaccines are believed to be useless by some people then masks are expected to be more so naturally.

You can regard Covid-19 as an empathy test. Who was prepared to suffer disruption and inconvenience for the sake of others, and who was not?

The answer was often surprising. I can think, of many people (most have made cameo appearances here on this thread) who denounced lockdowns, vaccines and even masks as intolerable intrusions on our liberties, while proposing no meaningful measures to prevent transmission of the virus.

Most of them became active spreaders of disinformation and the virus, and chose here to boast about it.

Disgusting.

It is time to stop wearing masks for covid and flu, full stop.

There are zero studies showing masks to be effective.

Latest word from the Cochrane review and no doubt you can google the authors as they have been interviewed and are very scathing about those that think masks have been shown to be effective:

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/full

The mandate this, mandate that crowd were wrong then and they are wrong now.

appeals to authority from an anonymous account are worthless, if the experts clearly say mandates have have a very positive effect protecting public health then they are only as "wrong" as forbidding public smoking or driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, just you saying the opposite have no relevance.

Medical decisions are a personal choice.

being a personal choice do not make them free of consequences, people are still able to choose, and deal with the valid consequences according to scientific realities of those decisions.

Masks are ineffective against the current variants,

They still reduce the risk of transmission importantly, specially when used with other measures as well, just claiming you are right and the experts of the world that recommend them are wrong is not an argument, is an excuse to act irrationally.

People citing anything the WHO say must be deluded. 

that applies much more to people that say the WHO and every other important institution of science and medicine are wrong and they are right just because.

First, it's dehumanizing

Dehumanizing is to consider the lives and health of other people irrelevant compared with your convenicence.

Second, it's medically unnecessary in most cases. The COVID is essentially like the flu now,

Still no, you keep trying to ignore the clear difference in the number of cases of influenza and covid, as well as hospitalizations and deaths under the same conditions, that still proves you are wrong.

Third, masks don't work

Yet every scientific and medical institution of the world says you are wrong and present the evidence for this, trying to pretend this is not the case is just trying to live in denial.

Studies indicate that large-scale societal mask-wearing has had little if any impact on COVID contraction rates and death rates

No, they have not, they conclude things like mandates are very different from actual mask use, or that the studies they are including in their meta analysis do not let them make a conclusion, you have never presented any study that concludes your personal claim.

I wear a mask because It helps prevent my get sick. I am ever touch my mouth and nose are more than 100 times day so that thin barrier of material stop my finger contacting my mouth. I would not a clue about air particles but there plenty of health experts say it help prevent air particles.

All this fuss about masking …. Still .!. Masks have and continue to be an effective tool in the fight to mitigate the spread of Covid .!. That is a basic scientific fact as old as healthcare.!. For those of you in the marginalized minority of anti anything…. The next time you go to the dentist or Dr…. Demand they remove their mask .!. I did not know that “lockdowns killed millions of people.!.” Just wow .!. FFS is “dangerous to childrens health and safety.!.”

 they have been interviewed and are very scathing about those that think masks have been shown to be effective:

What were the scathing remarks?

All this fuss about masking

The freethinkers want others to shed off their masks first before they do

Lots of people rejoiced when easing of guidelines was announced.

What were you doing all this time?

If you're sure masks are of no use then you shouldn't have waited 3 years for the govt guideline lol.

Anyway the govt guideline does not imply mask wearing is not useful.

It means conditions at present are such that we can dispense with them safely in some situations.

One of the points one of the Oxford University scientists makes, is if the governments wanted to show that masks might be beneficial, why have they never done a proper study?

And are you really dissing the Cochrane review?!

And are you really dissing the Cochrane review?!

The study you posted seems to be on point.

Your understanding of it however is let's just say clearly laughable

Bruce Pennyworth

Today 08:39 am JST

Nice, but I haven't worn a mask on public transport in a year. Have not gotten covid. I will not be socially conditioned.

Oh but you absolutely already are, Brucie-baby! You just haven't figured that bit out yet

falseflagsteveToday  02:56 pm JST

Masks are ineffective against the current variants, they are a waste of time and dangerous to children’s health and the environment. The huge damage to the environment caused by discarded masks is swept under the carpet mostly, though info can easily be found online.

People citing anything the WHO say must be deluded. They are run for the benefit of cash injections for them selves amd tejero mates, not the benefit of the people.

Conspiracy theory nonsense babble

N Knights

Nooe, it contradicts your view of reality but is all backed up with facts, in the case of masks and the environment, peer review studies.

Luckily at my kids 子供園 the kids don't have to wear a mask, or rather they weren't able to enforce it. But feels weird that I have never seen the whole face of the person taking care of my kid that I see for about an hour every day. No anti masker, but feels like this will make social dents if continued even further.

JRO

It already has caused social dents and Japan will be one of the worst hit if this continues. School performance of kids is down, behaviour has worsened and depression too.

Glad that other posters are mentioning the Cohrane Library's long-term study and how it proves that masking has " ... little to no significance in stopping respiratory illness." The study is all over non-legacy media sites but fails to get a mention on corporate media news. I wonder why that is.

https://notthebee.com/article/the-gold-standard-for-evidence-based-medicine-has-determined-masks-make-little-or-no-difference-in-community-spread-of-covid-19

All the same, ,knowing that Japan is a collective and obedient population explains the situation. Stands to reason then that it would require directed government urging and modeling to convince more people to unmask.

I'll be facing forward unmasked as much as possible on this one!

Glad that other posters are mentioning the Cohrane Library's long-term study and how it proves that masking has " ... little to no significance in stopping respiratory illness." The study is all over non-legacy media sites but fails to get a mention on corporate media news. I wonder why that is.

Probably because only idiots get that conclusion from the study.

Have you read it?

Glad that other posters are mentioning the Cohrane Library's long-term study and how it proves that masking has " ... little to no significance in stopping respiratory illness." 

Well now, I caught COVID just after Christmas, as did my wife and sons as well. Guess what, none of us had any "respiratory" problems nor symptoms from it. (Oh and I am a smoker too! So maybe according to you, I should be dead by now!)

We all had high fevers, felt tired as hell, had headaches, and are still occasionally feeling lethargic as hell, but no respiratory problems.

Probably thanks to the fact that we "masked up" while in public, don't ya' think?