Relaxed mask usage guidelines barely spread among Japanese public

I wish he would have the courage to go maskless inside Japan.

He does, when politicians from other countries come to Japan, so that he doesn't seem like a buffoon in comparison.

I wear a mask shopping and traveling on the tram.

Outside I remove the mask and socially distance.

The issue for me with masks is sometimes you walk past friends without recognising them or acknowledging them, I have done this a few times and feel awful when they later tell me.

I don't want to take any chances. Especially after masses of tourists start coming.

Distrust against Japanese government who had repeated failures about Covid19 but never admit it.

As I said try exercising in the sun with a mask on first...you will change your opinion.

Hahaha you should try it with no mask first.

If you don't get heatstroke try it with mask next

As to the number of kids getting heatstroke with the masks on there were reports about it during last summer. Hence the govt now recommending kids take them off during gym classes.

So how many were getting heatstroke with no masks?

If you're so confident that masks don't contribute to heatstroke

I'm not confident you understand

There have been multiple cases of children who wore masks during gym classes being sent to hospital due to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Anybody can share link showing masks cause or significantly contribute to heatstroke likelihood and under what conditions"

If you spend an hour running around outside in the midday / afternoon sun with a mask on you will not need any links. Such personal experience will convince quick you that masks when exercising in the sun can contribute to heatstroke .

Nope it will not convince me.

If there's a significant difference in number of people who got heatstroke doing that with masks compared to not wearing masks then that may convince me.

In any case txt you quoted above says gym class

The Japanese already had a weird mask fetish going into the pandemic. It is hardly surprising that they continue to wear one. I suspect it will last long after the risk has fallen away.

In fact, with deaths now at about 10 a day, the risk largely has fallen away. In a country with over a million deaths a year anyway, this is tiny.

If you saw the crowds at the Wimbledon tennis tournament yesterday, barely a mask in sight.

Thank goodness I'm a non Japanese in Japan and don't have to worry about wearing a mask outdoors!

You completely contradict your misunderstanding with another mistake--remarkable.

The quoted text come from your source and explicitly contradicts what you said, since you have no argument about what you yourself wrote it is clear there is no mistake and you are still disproved.

Still agree with that advice?

My point has always been that the WHO, CDC and every other scientific institutions were perfectly correct with making that advice because it is coherent with the evidence at the time.

Further evidence collected (and better access to masks) justified a change in the advice, your argument completely depends on changing the advice in the absence of that later evidence, which makes it antiscientific.

The CDC and Trump advised wearing masks before the WHO. That's the point.

Your article says the opposite, that masks should be reserved for hospitals, which is the same the WHO recommended.

The justification (once again) is in your own source:

There is no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit.

"There also is the issue that we have a massive global shortage," Ryan said about masks and other medical supplies.

Anybody reading your source can easily understand the WHO recommendation (same as the CDC and other scientific authorities) is well fundamented in the scientific evidence of the time. And as every scientific recommendation it changed according to the evidence collected later.

@Chris Case

Exactly !

Why Americans or Japanese compare themselves to each other is truly entertaining.

The idiosyncrasies of both cultures are completely different.

Just take your mask off and be respectful of others. That's it, no more pandemic, enjoy your life.

If you wish to wear a mask, do it, if you don’t then don’t.

People just seem to be divided by whatever the current talking point is, whether it’s vaccines, masks, lockdowns or abortion rights.

I do as I have since the pandemic started, whatever I judge is best for me and I’ve had a great time.

I find all these comments by Americans referring to Japanese hive mind to be absurd,given that the American populace is polarised to a ridiculous degree, with people on the various sides of extreme dualisms deriving their entire notion of reality from the manipulated media they consume, hardly anyone thinking for themselves, and certainly few daring to question the mainstream view of the day of their faction, be it about Covid or Ukraine or gender or racism. No country is more illustrative of the phenomenon of Manufactured Consent than the US. Maybe it's the homogeneity of the Japanese consensus reality that makes people from a violently divided, dualistic collective mind think themselves superior.

The girl in the picture is holding a fan and directing it at her mask-covered face.

The references you have brought explicitly contradict you, why search for evidence that disprove you if you are doing an excellent work disproving yourself.

You completely contradict your misunderstanding with another mistake--remarkable.

And here is the source that you want to put forth as evidence:

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/30/world/coronavirus-who-masks-recommendation-trnd/index.html

Still agree with that advice?

It is difficult to bring better evidence that proves the official guidance from the CDC did not include any face covering for healthy people until AFTER evidence began to come about their usefulness, and that even Trump said it was necessary to prioritize the use of masks in hospitals where they are needed.

The CDC and Trump advised wearing masks before the WHO. That's the point.

I guess since you argued for natural immunity over vaccines you don't want to consider the reality.

@Reckless

To be fair, I think your situation is unusual. I think you’ve reported having Covid symptoms yourself more times than the inhabitants of a medium sized town combined.

I don’t think this is very common.

Just do whatever you want. Wanna wear a mask in public? Do it. Don't want to? Then don't. Either way, it will make zero difference.

Japanese people are crazy with the mask wearing. But if it makes them happy

Hahaha pretty sure that's not the reason.

Made a lot of them stay alive to be sure

What percentage of Japanese people can really make an independent decision for themselves?

I dunno. I would say ‘independent thinkers’ are the last words I’d use to describe many of those bleating about masks.

Many of them hold very, very predictable opinions on a range of mostly unrelated topics such as vaccines, climate change, stolen elections etc.

Straight off the hymn sheet.

Not the types you’d bother listening to.

I think part of the issue is that many people aren’t actually aware of the government recommendations… the government isn’t doing a good job of putting the word out…

Here is the official guideline.

www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10900000/000942851.pdf

I’m tempted to print a few hundred copies and doing a local mail drop.

You can only get people to take off their masks if it's recommended to have it off at all times, If you live in Japan you are used to masks, so it's easier to keep it on then to think about when it's okay or not, also if you live in the city there is basically no time where you have 2m of space for yourself.

Trying to prove that there's scientific proof when science continually disproves itself because everything changes.

This makes absolutley no sense, as long as there is scientific proof of something that is to be considered the conclusion at the moment, if you want to prove this is wrong then you still require opposite evidence. That is exactly how science disproves itself, not by thinking differently but by proving things with evidence.

The evidence was there. You are ignoring it. And not presenting any contrary evidence (because there is none).

The references you have brought explicitly contradict you, why search for evidence that disprove you if you are doing an excellent work disproving yourself.

Again from your own source:

*If adopted by the coronavirus task force, the recommendations would represent a major change in official CDC guidance that healthy people don’t need masks or face coverings. *

and

“My feeling is there is no harm in using a scarf or something,” he said, adding that medical masks should be reserved for hospitals.

It is difficult to bring better evidence that proves the official guidance from the CDC did not include any face covering for healthy people until AFTER evidence began to come about their usefulness, and that even Trump said it was necessary to prioritize the use of masks in hospitals where they are needed.

The masses have been gaslighted by the fear narrative for so long that they have become unable to reason or decide for themselves.

Heh, the social media news brigade are sheeple no doubt. Denying the science since the start for ideology, while simultaneously being brianwashed into thinking that the people they are trying to denigrate are the sheeple.

Japanese people are crazy with the mask wearing. But if it makes them happy..Oh Well. I'm so glad I can wear lipcolour and show my lovely face again. Someone said, " masks makes unattractive women look attractive." Thats so true. Guys too...Sometimes It's shocking how people look without their mask. Thankfully I have no issues in that department. I do generate looks from people. But It's either because I'm beautiful or they want to tell me put on my masks, but lack the courage to do it. Either way, I don't care. Life goes on.

Seems nobody wants to stick out and be the only one without a mask. Hopefully, as more people go maskless, others will feel more comfortable doing the same.

I've always gone maskless outdoors, as I realized it didn't make any sense to mask-up when outdoors. I also listened to qualified experts I trust who recommended against masking the general public, saying they should mainly be worn by those who have Covid or are treating covid patients.

@Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne: Yes, I agree!

There have been multiple cases of children who wore masks during gym classes being sent to hospital due to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Anybody can share link showing masks cause or significantly contribute to heatstroke likelihood and under what conditions

The evidence was there. You are ignoring it.

Oh, so we're back to your "logic" that they should have known everything about the virus before it even existed.

You're really, really smart!

Kyo wa heiwa dayo neToday  12:56 pm JST

Why bother debating something with someone that doesn't understand the difference between scientific proof That's masquerading as quasi data or a quasi theory or observation of a quasi thesis.

Well put. Right on point.

As seen below:

You can't use your appeal to being a layman to negate the evidence already provided, it has already been explained to you that health authorities require evidence to make recommendations, so this excuse is no longer valid.

The evidence was there. You are ignoring it. And not presenting any contrary evidence (because there is none).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/31/coronavirus-masks-cdc/

The one fundamental principle guilding most Japanese citizens actions is "Will this upset anyone?" or "What will others think of me?"

If the answer is yes, they will be reluctant to do it.

Get used to seeing masks for quite a while.

Evidence

Yeah right !

The information has been here, as pointed out above.

And it completely supports the recommendations of the WHO, prioritize masks for hospitalary environments where patients are being treated, as pointed out above.

No evidence whatsoever that mask use by asymptomatic people on the street had any effect on transmission, so your idea that the WHO somehow had that information before the pandemic is false.

Which is why everyone was wearing masks in China, Japan, Korea, etc. in January 2020.

Mask use by symptomatic people are one thing, mask as a preventive measure for uninfected people is another completely different thing. People can do whatever they like even if not supported by evidence, but any scientific authority such as the WHO (or CDC or ) can only make recommendations based on available evidence, you have not yet presented any evidence (available at the time) that contradicts the recommendations done, only evidence that support them such as the evidence at the first SARS outbreak.

People in the medical profession would be aware of that, yet even laymen like us also knew to wear masks soon after the outbreak.

You can't use your appeal to being a layman to negate the evidence already provided, it has already been explained to you that health authorities require evidence to make recommendations, so this excuse is no longer valid.

Even Trump was suggesting ordinary citizens wear masks, while the WHO was running around in circles trying to figure out how to kowtow more to China.

Trump made lots of suggestions some based on science, some completely baselesss and some that were against the available evidence. The WHO simply have no political power to oppose any country in the world, not China nor any European country nor the US, which do not excuse them when they do something against global public health.

As others have repeatedly pointed out the errors in your "claims", the above shows Trump, along with a global health authority, the CDC, had the right advice at the right time.

You have not presented any scientifically based recommendation for asymptomatic people in the street, nor the CDC making that recommendation (specially with the lack of masks available even for hospitals), that is the minimum requirement for you to prove the WHO (and the CDC) were wrong recommending masks to be prioritized for hospitals.

Or as your own source says

The memos make clear the coverings under discussion are not medical masks, such as N95 respirators or surgical face masks, which are needed by front-line health-care workers and are in extremely short supply.

such societies are good for keeping rules but bad if politicians use them for bad interest

I saw a Japanese guy in the sauna with a mask on the other day and it was about 110 F

In Japan people wear masks for a variety of reasons and not just because of covid or peer pressure or to pretend their secretly more attractive or for privacy .

Too difficult to be exacting and generalize why everyone wears a mask , but the comments are entertaining.

Even lemmings get heat exhaustion or heatstroke so be careful

Even Trump was suggesting ordinary citizens wear masks, while the WHO was running around in circles trying to figure out how to kowtow more to China.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/31/coronavirus-masks-cdc/

The link clearly mentions mask use for patients, not for people in the street, this means that under heavy scarcity of masks they should be prioritized precisely in the place where the patients are being treated, once again your reference completely supports the recommendation of the WHO (and other scientific authorities at the time). It was only until this scarcity was solved and evidence appeared that mask use by asymptomatic people also helped when the scientific recommendations changed, as it was supposed to happen.

As others have repeatedly pointed out the errors in your "claims", the above shows Trump, along with a global health authority, the CDC, had the right advice at the right time.

It was ruining an important part of the experience for me.

How selfish of you.

And to infringe on her work ethic safety of you and her so you could gawk at her attractiveness is totally inappropriate.

Obviously you don't respect her .

I tend to wear a cap during the summer and sunglasses to protect my eyes. I either look like a hanzai-sha trying to disguise themselves or a geinou-jin trying to hide themselves. Don't think I will be keeping this up anymore though as it is just way to hot outside and there is no logical evidence to wear a mask while outside and not talking to anyone close by. Been riding my bike without one for quite some time and I have to say breathing that fresh air just feels so good!

I do not wear one when walking the dog in the park. I’m the only one....

no i dont wear one when im outside and know im away from others,

common sense approach

So you had to go back only more than 2 years at the time where the only evidence available said masks were useful on hospitalary environments?

SARS was 2003.

19 years ago.

Hope that catches you up.

Every scientific institution of the world was in the same situation, that is what happens when a new patoghen appears and causes problems, there is no place that magically have all the necessary information.

The information has been here, as pointed out above.

Which is why everyone was wearing masks in China, Japan, Korea, etc. in January 2020.

Your misunderstanding and constant trying to spread disinformation does not change the facts.

You have been asked repeatedly to provide evidence (at the time) that contradicts the recommendations, you have only provided references that clearly support them.

As stated endlessly times above, and by the CDC, and the WHO in 2003.

People in the medical profession would be aware of that, yet even laymen like us also knew to wear masks soon after the outbreak.

Regardless of Japanese culture amd what they want to do, I don't wear masks for the following reasons.

They are virtually ineffective for stopping Omicron up against the cost versus benefits. (Some studies show places that had mask mandates had nore covid deaths than those without, due to increased backflow of excessive viral loads).

So without mandates the masks don't cause more covid deaths?

Laughable reaponse.

The reference clearly demonstrates this, laughing do not negates this in any way

How do you feel about the enviromental impacts, mosern slave labour or children's development? Crickets. Vax or die is not a strategy.

None of those problems are unavoidable, nor they are specific for masks, unless your argument is that nobody should use anything they have no meaning against the use of a safe and effective measure to reduce the transmission of covid either.

I think people need to listen to the WHO.

So you had to go back only more than 2 years at the time where the only evidence available said masks were useful on hospitalary environments?

What do you think happened when scientists collected evidence that masks were also useful in the community? the WHO and every other scientific and public health authority reflected this by including it on the recommendations, Science do not remains static, and scientific authorities change recommendations AFTER evidence is collected and makes it necessary.

You want the WHO off the hook for claiming they did not have enough information to advise in the coronavirus?

Every scientific institution of the world was in the same situation, that is what happens when a new patoghen appears and causes problems, there is no place that magically have all the necessary information. You have been asked repeatedly to provide evidence (at the time) that contradicts the recommendations, you have only provided references that clearly support them.

For example:

I guess the WHO was too busy acting in its agency capacity to remember what they suggested to use masks for.

The link clearly mentions mask use for patients, not for people in the street, this means that under heavy scarcity of masks they should be prioritized precisely in the place where the patients are being treated, once again your reference completely supports the recommendation of the WHO (and other scientific authorities at the time). It was only until this scarcity was solved and evidence appeared that mask use by asymptomatic people also helped when the scientific recommendations changed, as it was supposed to happen.

the unattractive and shy people

That wasn’t my experience in Japan. The first to unmask I saw included a man who smelled like a camel drinking chu-hi on the train, one man at the train station who I think was off his meds and shrieking at the staff and a teenager looking sulky on the Chiyoda Line.

Maybe the teenager was posting anti-mask stuff on social media. Maybe trying to be an ‘influencer’.

Teeneagers, eh?

I’d add that this was just my observation.

Looks like I'll have to wear one of those stupid things again when I visit in a few months with my family.

Years back I'd have shirked the mask consensus in Japan, but now I guess I'd rather be uncomfortable than make my wife uncomfortable the once a year she gets to go home.

Here in the US (at least in Massachusetts), it seems to be only the elderly and people with other health concerns who wear them, but not so many.

People on the political left seem to be holding onto masks for dear life. Whenever I go to Whole Foods or the organic co-op, where they all tend to shop, there are tons of young, fit-looking people proudly wearing their masks. I often see people driving alone in their cars with masks on; generally in a Prius or Subaru Forester with 'Bernie' and 'Eat more kale' stickers all over the back.

The mask has become the MAGA hat for the American Liberal.

Oh wait--the WHO had been aware of coronaviruses for a looong time.

The WHO was knowledgeable on covid 19 before it existed. Got it genius. You’re clearly very smart.

Ah yes, the mask wearing, tunnel vision and subservience of the Japanese people. The brain washing starts at a very early age.

StrangerlandToday  11:04 am JST

Two weeks into a pandemic for a new virus? Umm…

Oh dear you think real life is TV where they put something into a machine and one hour later (42 minutes without commercials) a solution is known and wrap it up in time for the next episode. 

Pray tell genius, how would they have known “enough” before they had time to know “enough”?

Oh wait--the WHO had been aware of coronaviruses for a looong time.

In 2003, the WHO SARS knew SARS ( a coronavirus) is spread primarily by close contact with droplets from an infected person.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20030429/can-mask-protect-you-from-sars

I guess the WHO was too busy acting in its agency capacity to remember what they suggested to use masks for.

There have been multiple cases of children who wore masks during gym classes being sent to hospital due to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

….

When people start dying from heatstroke more than the virus then the penny might eventually drop.

You want the WHO off the hook for claiming they did not have enough information to advise in the coronavirus?

Two weeks into a pandemic for a new virus? Umm…

Oh dear you think real life is TV where they put something into a machine and one hour later (42 minutes without commercials) a solution is known and wrap it up in time for the next episode.

Pray tell genius, how would they have known “enough” before they had time to know “enough”?

I remember reading a report from the WHO in 2006 when the SARS virus was in full swing in Asia. It state that for a face mask to be effective against a virus it must be a 12x surgical mask and replaced every 20 minutes.

A face mask creates the perfect environment for a virus to thrive. It is warm and moist with plenty of fresh air. Just ponder that for a moment.

StrangerlandToday  10:39 am JST

Oh dear, do you think information from two weeks into the pandemic, before we do anything, is more advisable than the day that we have after two years of studying this virus across the whole planet. I think that explains were a lot of your perspectives come from. You know, if that’s how you evaluate things.

You want the WHO off the hook for claiming they did not have enough information to advise in the coronavirus?

Telling.

It's hardly surprising that a lot of people continue to wear masks - the messaging from the government is confusing and contradictory. On the one hand, they are telling people it is OK not to wear masks outdoors, but on the other hand, they are saying that the virus continues to pose such a significant threat that everyone should wear masks in conversation, indoors, inside train stations, on public transport and in the work place. Everyone has to check their temperature and disinfect their hands before entering public buildings and the virus is apparently so dangerous that they still have to stop tourists from freely traveling to Japan and put all sorts of other checks, rules and restrictions in place for anyone else who wants to travel internationally. It seems that people here are completely ignorant of the fact that plenty of other countries have removed all of their restrictions and nothing changed - the virus is now pretty much endemic. The border controls continue just in case another more dangerous variant emerges, but not a single variant has been kept out of Japan by the border controls we've had an place throughout the pandemic - in fact most were circulating here before we even knew they existed!

I'd agree with those saying people should be free to wear a mask if they feel more comfortable doing so, but can the same be said for those of us who don't want to wear masks? Only a few weeks ago my wife was complained to because her mask was not covering her nose, and we still get stared at when out walking the street without a mask on - when not wearing a mask here you constantly feel that someone is about to have a go at you for not wearing it.

nah, masks mean you don't have to shave all the time and I don't want covid so win win for me...

You ever think you may be misreading their discomfort at having some dude staring at them like a creeper, as “embarrassment”?

@Strangerland like your posts, but you're the pervy here, asking your (hen)thai masseur to remove her mask for your pleasure, hope you had a happy ending

I dont stare at anyone, I'm just stretching my neck when I see this lady frantically looking around while hiding her mouth for a 2sec sip of coffee

I think people need to listen to the WHO.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/30/world/coronavirus-who-masks-recommendation-trnd/index.html

Oh dear, do you think information from two weeks into the pandemic, before we do anything, is more advisable than the day that we have after two years of studying this virus across the whole planet. I think that explains were a lot of your perspectives come from. You know, if that’s how you evaluate things.

Indeed, I can see lots of women getting "embarassed" when removing their masks for a quick sip of drink, to the point of looking around while hiding the corner of their mouths with their hands lol very awkward to watch

You ever think you may be misreading their discomfort at having some dude staring at them like a creeper, as “embarrassment”?

Experts say many people are unaware the government has been proposing since May 20 that masks can be taken off in certain circumstances

Isn't this always the case when the government tries to put out information? It always seems to get lost on the way to the public.

Honestly, unless J-gov implements some kind of mandate explicitly instructing people to take off their masks I doubt anything will change.

I think people need to listen to the WHO.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/30/world/coronavirus-who-masks-recommendation-trnd/index.html

A student of mine said she'd continue to wear a mask because she'd feel embarrassed without it.

Indeed, I can see lots of women getting "embarassed" when removing their masks for a quick sip of drink, to the point of looking around while hiding the corner of their mouths with their hands lol very awkward to watch

I don’t see how and when will the Japanese stop wearing masks! It will only happen if the Government gives clear directive as to stop the wearing of masks instead of the vague messages it’s giving at the moment!

A lot of Japanese I know don't like wearing masks, but as stated above, there are many places where you still have to wear them, and it is rather troublesome to take it off and put it on and worry about having one, that they just put it on and wear it.

lol... its like sunglasses you take it off in 2 secs, what's troublesome about that?

Once you feel the need to use widely discredited studies to support what you believe you are already recognizing you have no better evidence to do it.

Laughable reaponse.

How do you feel about the enviromental impacts, mosern slave labour or children's development? Crickets. Vax or die is not a strategy.

Sometimes masks make unattractive women look attractive. I think that’s one of the reasons people keep wearing them.

You know, there is a tiny part of the population that wish the masks to remain forever and there are plenty of reasons, beyond the unattractive and shy people. People with chronic diseases suddenly felt great walking outside with their masks on without being shunned. Ladies in their summer darth vader costumes are very happy with hiding one more patch of skin to keep it white, and in Japan's case, everyone here knows the traditional japanese mentality of hiding their ownselves, people here feel great hiding everything about them, from the book they're reading in the train to their very own faces.

Reference for Mr Pharma showing Covid deaths in mask mandated verusus non mandated study

Exactly as described, Japan never had a mask mandate, and death rates are lower than in the US (that had those mandates), according to this invalid logic masks caused higher death rates.

In reality mask use and mask mandates are not the same thing. And mask mandates are much more likely to be used in places that already have higher transmission and death rates (because it is used precisely to mitigate this). This is a long debunked invalid logic that has become an example of invalid conclusions not supported by the evidence.

https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/scientific-evidence-shows-mask-wearing-effective-at-limiting-community-transmission-claims-face-masks-increase-mortality-based-on-flawed-correlation-studies/

 Put simply, these studies can’t tell us whether COVID-19 deaths were predominantly among people who wore face masks. In their current form, the studies aren’t equipped to tell us whether there is a causal relationship between mask-wearing and a higher risk of death from COVID-19. The failure to recognize this limitation is known as the ecological fallacy.

Once you feel the need to use widely discredited studies to support what you believe you are already recognizing you have no better evidence to do it.

I've never been an anti-vaxxer or anti-mask but I fail to see the logic of putting your health in danger (wearing masks in the summer) to protect your health.

Been walking maskless with my mask very visible (pinned to my collar or inside my front pocket) and at first I was expecting murderous eyeballs but all I see are innocent "ii naaa..." slightly envious looks, which I find it funny and absurd.

Why do you have to walk alone in the streets and literally suffocate yourself because of fear of what other strangers might think of you?

I'm well sick of wearing a mask. I work at home, so its only when I go shopping etc. but that's still a pain. If I'm going to multiple places, I may keep the mask on the car between them otherwise I'll forget to put it on and will have to go back to the car to get one, which is well annoying. If this makes me look an idiot to someone saying "look at that dweeb with a mask on in his car!" then so be it.

The flip side of this is that there were an estimated 1.7 million cases in the UK last week, mostly the .4 and .5 versions of Omicron. That's about one in forty people, which would be three million cases for Japan, about thirty times what we have now. Covid itself does not worry me, but long Covid type complications sound like they can be very nasty.

They need TV personalities to take of masks. If the TV gods say jump the Japanese people say how high!

They are virtually ineffective for stopping Omicron up against the cost versus benefits. (Some studies show places that had mask mandates had nore covid deaths than those without, due to increased backflow of excessive viral loads).

This is false, which is why the references are never presented. One thing is to compare mask mandates, and mask use. People still think comparing the US and Japan proves mask are useless, because the country without the mask mandate had lower transmission, this makes no snese.

The imaginary "backflow" has no evidence of any clinical importance, it is just disinformation being promoted by anti-scientific groups.

The obstruct natural oxygen flow, are hot and cause skin irritations. Can be dangerous in hot weather.

That's why, inside or outside, I refuse to wear them even when asked.

The responsible thing to do is not to be in a situation indoors where you have to wear one to avoid putting others at an extra risk, otherwise you are just imposing your own convenience while going against scientifically proved evidence of efficacy.

JayszeeToday  09:08 am JST

I don’t wanna receive the stare of death when not wearing it.

You get immune to it after a while. A bit nerve-wracking at first, then you feel wonderful.

Never wore a mask ever. Got 3 x times vaccinated though. Wearing a mask gives minimal protection at best. I’d rather be comfortable. If you’re gonna die you’re gonna die. Just get vaccinated.

News Flash!

you don’t need a mask!

only on the train or with the zombies in the office!

New Flash

1 Millions covid dead

Gaijin don't need a mask. They need a brain. LOL

Regardless of Japanese culture amd what they want to do, I don't wear masks for the following reasons.

They are virtually ineffective for stopping Omicron up against the cost versus benefits. (Some studies show places that had mask mandates had nore covid deaths than those without, due to increased backflow of excessive viral loads).

They are incredibly bad for the environment, marine life and cause unsightly litter around the streets, dupming billions of tonnes of unnessasary microplastics and waste in the world.

They are bad for children's development. Missing out on vital emotional, language and visual cues from parents, teachers and peers.

They stink and are incredibly dirty.

Many are still made in modern slave labour conditions.

The obstruct natural oxygen flow, are hot and cause skin irritations. Can be dangerous in hot weather.

That's why, inside or outside, I refuse to wear them even when asked. I politely smile and say no thank you. There is never any issue.

In the west over 1 million covid dead and in Japan less than 32k covid dead. I wonder which people really need to change?

Here is headlines about Japan:

Scientists probe Japan's remarkable COVID success in hunt for new vaccine

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/scientists-probe-japans-remarkable-co

and the west:

and in the west:

Coverage of 1 million COVID deaths must include the pandemic of bad state responses

 

https://www.livingstonparishnews.com/opinion/editorials/opinion-coverage-of-1-mi

The numbers speak for themselves

I don’t wanna receive the stare of death when not wearing it.

Once instilled, paranoia runs deep.

There have been multiple cases of children who wore masks during gym classes being sent to hospital due to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

This statement explains the lunacy of masks very well. I can understand why people would wear a mask on a packed train but wearing one outside while exercising is madness.

There has never been a mask mandate in the country, but more than two years of the pandemic has made mask-wearing the polite thing to do, even as heat-related illnesses are emerging as a concern as Japan readies for a boiling summer.

This is what we call voluntary eugenics!

My hobby when driving or walking is counting drivers who wear masks as single occupants. Last year it was around 80%. Now it’s about 40-50%. I know people have allergies, but about 95% have all windows closed, and modern cars aircon blocks pollen.

so, I think things are getting better.

There has never been a mask mandate in the country, but more than two years of the pandemic has made mask-wearing the polite thing to do, even as heat-related illnesses are emerging as a concern as Japan readies for a boiling summer.

I think it is even nuttier to be wearing suits outside in the summer, any dark clothing, sweaters, long pants . . . I would like to conquer those horrible trends first.

At least most of the masks are white.

News Flash!

you don’t need a mask!

only on the train or with the zombies in the office!

But are they aware of missing customers because of this stupid practice

There are a few coffee shops I have not been anymore, because there is this fixed panel in the middle of the table. Impossible to remove

People may be looking for the first penguin to dive in.

I only put a mask on the chin outside. Just a courtesy gesture for mask police.

Many shops and restaurants still require masks on. But are they aware of missing customers because of this stupid practice (unless it's law compliance)?

Masks were in fashion prior to the pandemic, and some look really good and attractive wearing them.

Have said it before, got it from a podcast on evolutionary psychology, but once these survival mechanisms of fear and disgust ( don’t come near me man ) of the ‘other’ are switched on, they are very, very hard to turn off. These are ancient circuits that run deep into the psyche and subconscious, Coupled with a culture already prone to follow the crowd and expediency then bingo, you have the mass maskland that we see today.

Solution

There will have to be an equally frightening campaign of what happens if we keep the masks on forever for it to change and this, ( leaflets! )

The government has made some efforts to increase public awareness of the changes, creating leaflets and planning to broadcast the message through commercials.

isn’t going to cut it. Who knows, maybe Japan will just choose to stay masked. Have heard young JHS girls in particular refuse to take them off ( like ever ) and the ‘mask bijin’ ( a phenomenon that people look more beautiful when you just see their eyes) thing seems to have taken hold too, especially those on the low self esteem side.

The mask is a great option to those that don’t want to put themselves out there in the world. Another buffer. Always thought one of the main goals in life was to find your true authentic self, fight through the insecurities of circumstance and youth, then put it out unto the world! Unfortunately though, here in Japan, I think we may be moving into the dreaded ‘sho ga nai’ phase, where the will to get them off simply isn’t strong enough.

Less connection again, more detachment and loneliness. Even more inward group thinking as a whole generation of kids will only connect with a very limited group of close contact peers. Can’t stand the masks personally, so maybe am reading a bit too much into them, but over 20 plus years of seeing students with limited self-expression and social skills my alarm bells be ringing! Just had to pop out to put the garbage out and saw two people, one off to work the other a retiree walking around outside. This is rural Japan, and it’s an absolute scorcher outside already today. Why, Japanese people Why???? ;p Suffering for the greater good can be a charm sometimes, until it’s not.

It's the look that people give you when you are maskless, just like everything else here conform or get the tail of the EYES

I see a few more people taking their mask off, but can still count with my finger.

Nobody can randomly get the virus outdoors. There is no scientific evidence that does support mask wearing outside. It’s all political and social, not medical.

It’s too hot!

take off your mask and enjoy summer!

Because now it's part of Japanese manner 日本のマナ

Yes, many predicted this including myself several times on this site. Masks are here for the long haul in Japan. Even if Japan somehow achieves Covid 0, masks will still be worn for years to come. Even before the pandemic, masks were worn by a considerable amount of people.

Many Japanese are shy and just don't want to show their face is a huge reason. Has nothing to do with Covid.

I just walked to the convenience store during this blazing hot morning. Very few people out and about but only one other person besides me took off their masks.

I wear mine indoors or when I start talking to someone outside fairly closely.

Just a little common sense is all that's needed.

Japanese are still not entirely convinced of the effectiveness of the vaccines, and there is not adequate scientific evidence to support not wearing masks at all times, but regardless, as this guy says:

EastmanToday  08:00 am JST

how about to let people decide by themselves if they want wear face masks or not?

My massage therapist was wearing a mask. I asked her to PLEASE take it off as it was ruining an important part of the experience for me. 

No, that doesn't sound pervy at ALL....

If she were that worried about it, she would've kept her mask on anyway.

Would she? Or maybe her boss told her she didn't have a choice if the customer demanded. Or maybe she was someone who was the victim of beatings, who has learned to smile and go along with what you're told, so you get smacked. Or maybe an infinite number of other reasons that the extremely limited conclusion you came to.

Again, hopefully she wasn't immune compromised, and didn't sacrifice her health for your ideology.

We already have those, but are not supposed to talk about them.

Completely innefective drugs that only increase the risk of the patient do not count at all as miracle drugs, those like ivermectin or HCQ have already been completely demonstrated as useless against covid, so obviously they would not help convincing anybody that masks are no longer necessary.

StrangerlandToday  07:10 am JST

My massage therapist was wearing a mask. I asked her to PLEASE take it off as it was ruining an important part of the experience for me. 

Hopefully she wasn't immune compromised, and didn't sacrifice her health for your ideology.

If she were that worried about it, she would've kept her mask on anyway.

Next!

Until people considered important appear in public without a mask, most people won't pay attention to any so-called relaxed guidelines.

More than 48 percent said they would stop doing so if a "wonder drug" against COVID-19 was made.

We already have those, but are not supposed to talk about them.

I do not wear one when walking the dog in the park. I’m the only one....

I go jogging every weekend with my wife to a park. We have never worn masks when jogging. In fact, most of the people we encounter are not wearing masks either. Not sure what park you are going to, but I'd say it's an exception to the norm.

"The japanese population is scared to take masks off, because of all the idiots who still spread their fearmongering BS around, and because of all the fearmongering media which do not stop to jump on each single small fearmongering news."

I think it has gone beyond that and became hive mind thinking as things often do in Japan. As Naoki Sato says, they need the queen bee to issue a decree at this point.

I think this is rather complicated. A lot of Japanese I know don't like wearing masks, but as stated above, there are many places where you still have to wear them, and it is rather troublesome to take it off and put it on and worry about having one, that they just put it on and wear it. You'll see many with the mask down around their chin, or on their wrist sometimes. And the numbers may have been trending down, but recently they are headed up again!

Sometimes masks make unattractive women look attractive. I think that’s one of the reasons people keep wearing them.

lol

or perhaps they are motivated by their daily diet?

One could eat as much garlic as they want throughout the day.

If someone were really keen to try to convince me to wear a mask, in all honesty, that would be a convincing argument for me.

And despite being within their vehicles on the move while trying desperately to get people to recognize them, they all wore masks.

You forgot to say they are alone inside the vehicles

There seems to be a misconception that you “need” to wear your mask outdoors if you are less than 2 metres apart from others. Not so: the two metre distance only applies if you are conversing, so if you’re scooting around on your own sans mask and outside, you are following govt. guidelines.

@William Bjornson

Nihonjin … select caution over public approval

Or they are afraid to stick out. As the article reports (Did you even read it, William?) …

"Peer pressure is very strong in Japan, and people tend to modify their behaviors based on how others act," said Naoki Sato, honorary professor at the Kyushu Institute of Technology who is well versed with public attitudes. 

The japanese population is scared to take masks off, because of all the idiots who still spread their fearmongering BS around, and because of all the fearmongering media which do not stop to jump on each single small fearmongering news.

And, just to point it out, wearing a mask not only says "I value my safety", it also says quite explicitly, "I value YOUR safety also."

I only where a mask when i go shopping and only to keep the Japanese people around me from having a panic attack.

I would have to agree lemmings is accurate.

It's also quite inconvenient -thinking here in Japanese mode- to have to remember the rules about when and how you can take your mask off. It adds another burden to daily commuting, for example, which everyone does in brainless manner.

And most of the time people is inside buildings and/or surrounded by other people. When was the last time a Tokyo salaryman had 2 meters of free space around him?

Sometimes masks make unattractive women look attractive. I think that’s one of the reasons people keep wearing them.

I guess some people enjoy being outside in the hot and humid weather with a mask on. Not me. Enjoy summer.

@Hello Kitty 321

Yesterday saw another increase in new covid cases so I think it is still premature to call for the removal of masks

Cases have been trending downward over the past three months.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/kokunainohasseijoukyou_00006.html

As a poster above called it; 'lemmings'. Nail on head, I'm afraid.

I don't know, the people bleating the anti-mask, anti-vaxx messages they have gotten off social media come across as the lemmings. Clearly too stupid to discern reality for themselves, and not even smart enough to realize they are reading stuff by other people equally stupid. The dumb leading the dumb as it were. Right off a cliff, just like lemmings.

Yesterday saw another increase in new covid cases so I think it is still premature to call for the removal of masks

My massage therapist was wearing a mask. I asked her to PLEASE take it off as it was ruining an important part of the experience for me.

Hopefully she wasn't immune compromised, and didn't sacrifice her health for your ideology.

Because now it's part of Japanese manner 日本のマナ, among other silly Japanese manner that people have no idea why they do it. They just do that because other do it.

Masks save time

My massage therapist was wearing a mask. I asked her to PLEASE take it off as it was ruining an important part of the experience for me. She was happy to comply with my wishes once we were in the private room and she quietly thanked me with a beautiful smile.

This past weekend I saw lots of political hopefuls riding around in their election vans trying to get votes.

And despite being within their vehicles on the move while trying desperately to get people to recognize them, they all wore masks.

So until the politicos remove them, the lemmings won't follow.

I do not wear one when walking the dog in the park. I’m the only one....

… until a well-known figure like Prime Minister Fumio Kishida outlines the new guidelines publicly.

Kishida went maskless at the G7 Summit in Germany. I wish he would have the courage to go maskless inside Japan.