politics

Abe's two-mask pledge met online with derision and humor

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Abe is sleeping with his granny mask and Aso is trying to figure out how to wear it a he blatantly grabs the front where the nostrils and mouth are. Fools.

32 ( +37 / -5 )

I like to count things. When doing my 17,000 steps a day, I have notice that 17% of people do not wear masks. I am one of them. Was never able to buy any and refused to stand in lines with hundreds of other to get them.

So my conclusion is that with enough people wearing them, those of us that could not get them due to hoarding are pretty safe because most are wearing them.

9 ( +21 / -12 )

2 reusable cloth masks per household will solve all the problems. Just the kind of "stimulus package" the country needs. The wagyu coupon will be the clincher though. Oh Japan...........

37 ( +38 / -1 )

Do you know the cost of distributing these mask is over US$ 450 Million!

Stop spreading rumors. Your numbers are way off.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

40 billion yen! For something that will have zero benefit except making a few silly people “feel” safer.

Please...... Waste my portion on something else, anything else!

9 ( +11 / -2 )

This Government is infuriating.

I wonder how many swab test units (Thailand) 40 billion yen could make?

19 ( +20 / -1 )

Looks like nobody told Taro it isn’t a blindfold.

24 ( +27 / -3 )

Aso:Is this thing up or down?

I can’t see a thing....

Abe:Zzzzzz...

25 ( +27 / -2 )

testament that Japanese are two-faced as in 本音建前 honne and tatamae

1 ( +10 / -9 )

I was told, Japanese politicians never sleep during their sessions and the reason why they close their eyes is because they contemplate and listen deeply to what the other politicians are saying. It’s a form of respect. Reminds me of the longer intestine thingy.....

24 ( +26 / -2 )

Two circus clowns in action ? Or are they both baffoons, either way they have no clue, if it wasnt such a serious matter this whole thing and performance would be hilarious !

Utter disgraceful right from the very start and they show so much contempt for everyone continuously !

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Shouldn't Aso have a lickspittle to put that on for him? Or are they all still too busy shredding documents?

20 ( +20 / -0 )

Despite mixed views among experts on the medical value of masks, they are popular in Japan and were commonly worn during cold and hay fever seasons even before the coronavirus pandemic.

Since many people with the virus are asymptomatic, the widespread use of makes may be the only reason why Japan has not been hit harder. HK and Taiwan adopted a similar custom after SARS, and their rates of infection are lower than expected.

The US CDC was pitching not using masks so that horders wouldn't keep masks from medical professionals. Hard to understand the logic, and people balked. If masks are good for medical professionals, then why wouldn't the be good for everyday people. The US CDC has since reversed this advice given the problems with asymptomatic cases spreading the virus.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

The leadership in this country has not a clue whats coming.

https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/news/27-more-covid-19-cases-in-fukuoka-governor-calls-for-restraint-on-weekends/?fbclid=IwAR1Pqhr7jNhD9HmZq6iHasvwwQ60j6pFu5gVCjoSdqIcyfrqRL7HDZRF8so

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/fukuoka-news/20200401/5010007373.html

In the meantime in my area. (above links)

Business as usual. As I watch people come and going in out of the my shop with no masks on.

Someone show Aso how to use the mask. The mask Abe has on is for kids right?

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Didnt we read the other day that him and Aso would not attend the same meetings but the this shows them both sitting together wearing masks

20 ( +21 / -1 )

No thank you, masked man?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Lol, ¥200 a pop, is that including his cut?

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Could these politicians at least keep their eyes open as they discuss our fates? I don't give up a huge chunk of my pay each year to fund these old dudes' nap time.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Well, what do you expect from a bunch of two-faced politicians?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

After having lived outside Japan for a few years now, it really gives perspective how hilariously weird it is that inemuri is acceptable in the Diet. Truly mind boggling considering how insulting that is to the average citizen, and no one gives a damn.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Suga defended the program, saying it would also help ease demand for surgical masks.

Sooooo two masks a household is going to help how? The LDP leadership have the common sence of a 4yo. And what happened to the urge, pledge to up the supply. Having the political heavyweights wearing child size masks not really filling me with any form of confidence. But they don't care, why should I.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Absolute joke of a leadership.

However,when they sneak in the snap election just before next year's Olympics they will be voted in yet again.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

masks are estimated to cost about 200 yen each

Impossible, it doesn't cost that much to make.

Somebody is making a killing, probably some friend of theirs.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

Someone please tell Mr Taro Aso you should not touch your mask unless you have washed or sanitized your hands.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Oh, Japan is such a rich country! Australia gave everybody $750 income support. The UK is paying 80% of salaries in a subsidy. Japan gave 60% of the population two face masks worth a couple of bucks at most. He should have done this yesterday on April fool’s day.

20 ( +20 / -0 )

Could these politicians at least keep their eyes open as they discuss our fates? I don't give up a huge chunk of my pay each year to fund these old dudes' nap time.

It's not up to you. Remember, the common people are there to serve them. They are not there to serve us. Isn't it enough that they show up to this charade? You expect them to stay awake during it, too? Be grateful for your servitude. These guys are superior to us by birthright. Be thankful that they kindly share your money with their friends as well. If you work hard enough, the might let you in that inner circle. Unless you are a gaijin - then even that is out.

Impossible, it doesn't cost that much to make.

Somebody is making a killing, probably some friend of theirs.

Of course. It is their moral duty as out superiors to fleece the peasants.

Fools.

Yes, we are if we accept our fate as livestock to serve those who were born to a life of comfort.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

"A night has passed and it was not a dream," Kentaro Iwata, an infectious disease specialist at the Kobe University, tweeted Thursday, referring to Abe's Wednesday announcement.

Geeze this guy again.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

PM asleep at the wheel. Deputy PM has accidentally covered his entire face in his mask and is having trouble extricating himself from that predicament.

Oh crap oh crap these guys are in charge of the country, oh crap oh crap.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

A surprising fact is that it is not surprising at all.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Two of the most loathsome people in Japan. Can't stand neither with a passion.

Why is it that every time there's a picture of the Diet in session we can always see several of them sleeping? Seriously, is this what our tax dollars pay for?? Infuriating to say the least.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Were the diet members all told to wear masks so that news photographers could not get pictures of them laughing at Abe?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Aso's suave suit in the pic cost enough to pay the nations wages until December..

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I usually do not comment on other people's comments. But @ commanteer had me grimly smiling at the painfully on target dripping sarcasm.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This photo is priceless.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

200 yen a mask? If they bought 50 million masks, there is no way they would costs 200 yen a piece. What company is making these masks, so I can buy some of their stock?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

It's obvious the cloth masks where made for children, perhaps after the nuclear accident, stockpiled and now useless.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

No no Aso San, use the black mask over the eyes for in flight sleeping !

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Will point and laugh manage to save some money by at least making them drop the send to each household and instead having these send to school ? I am not dreaming of them cancelling the whole order.

Since school are to reopen, some will most likely request that kid have mask and some parent just do no have any so these will be welcome and this way teacher can teach kido to properly use and clean these.

They should be able to come with something like : "We were told than several people expressed they thankfulness but wanted for them to be given to people more in need." or anything they see fit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Now that's quite a lot of Yen being wasted once again!

and if that masks save one grandmother or one healthcare worker. It would be worth every yen.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

Playing with the life of the elder and so many Japanese. Have some respect for the people that milked you, changed your dippers, raised you, educated you... Just appalling how this politician just things of the numbers and statistics... forgetting the human side of the equation ... please keep the asyntomatic under the radar and start from the cluster outwards!!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I wonder what the USA and Europe are doing to protect their health care workers? Wear garbage bags and beg Russia for help.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

It is too late and a better time to send two low-cost ventilators to each house, to make each home a small hospital. Two cotton masks programs only help in bribe.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Next week as the body count rises, I suppose Abe's cunning plan to defeat corona will be to up the ante: one hazmat suit for salarymen. It's time he got serious and closed down the country for a month. The Japanese could catch up on lost sleep and take a much-needed rest from their labors.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Abenomasks. Very apt.

You see how wasteful people entrusted with your tax money can be? If he goes ahead with this, he must be charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Photo above says it all.. leader of Japan asleep.. 2nd in charge displaying total lack of eye hand coordination. Both guilty of failing to perform at any level displaying leadership qualities at all.

Just today Australia announced yet more stimulus measures including free childcare for all Australians, easing the burden significantly and allowing parents who have been forced to stop working at least to look for something else or avoid their kids seeing their parents in distress.

Wake up Japan !!!....2 free masks per household. An absolute waste of taxpayer money and the confirming the stinginess of the people in charge of running this country.

Pathetic !

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Those are some tacky chairs.

Aso must have selected them while doing that face mask trick he's doing in the picture.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The U.S. gives me $1,200 to spend and help the economy, Japan gives me two masks and pumps trillions to the zaibatsu.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

As far as I'm concerned two cloth masks is better than no masks.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

@Caliboy

Wear garbage bags

That should be more effective than paper mask in reducing risk of contamination. After, the problem is breath-ability. Some specific design should be used. To be seen too if by submerging them in some special solution they can successfully sterilize them and potentially be more environment friendly.

the government's emergency economic package to be compiled next week will include funds for the increased production and training of ECMO machines.

Next week !? How long does it take to make them and train people to use them ?

More than 2 months already passed since the first cluster.

And the government bothered meeting a specialist in machine used worldwide to deal with the pandemic only Thursday : today ?

If you are trying to make Japan government look bad, you are doing a freaking good job. If not, ... well ... the weather was good today, isn't it ?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The UK had roughly the same number of coronavirus infections two weeks ago.

Today it's touching 50000 with over 500 dying in a single day yesterday.

Temporary morgues and intensive care only clinics are being established and testing is to be ramped up to 25000 a day.

The next 14 days will be critical. PM Bojo still has a mild case of coronavirus but is working his butt off to address the catastrophe the UK faces.

Meanwhile the Japanese PM is literally asleep at the wheel.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

dumb and dumber

9 ( +9 / -0 )

The $1,200 is not for all Americans and only those living in the country, not Japan. You'll have to be happy with your masks.

Really? Where is your source? I hears it was any American who files income tax with a social security number.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Americans no matter where they live as long as they have an SS number will receive the stimulus.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Aso: "Shinzo! Hey, I'm glad you decided to come to the meeting as my wake-up buddy despite us saying we'd separate, cause I can't figure out how to put this dastardly thing on. Shinzo! Help me out! The Kanji said put if over your face... I think. Where do you put the food?"

Abe: "Zzzzz...."

A true Japanese political meeting.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I can get 2 masks for free? WOW! SANKYU SOOOO MUCHIE, ABENOMASKS!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

We will all be fine with a couple of cloth masks, afterall, no medical professionals with high grade masks and PPE have died from COVID19, have they?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yikes.

Whenever a crisis hits Japan, it becomes very apparent that pretty much every night is Amateur Night down at Japan Inc. HQ in Tokyo.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Only 2 corona virus infection tests were conducted yesterday according to the data on Ministry of Health and Labor! Is it possible that only 2 people in the entire of Japan went to the clinics / hospitals with corona virus symptoms?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Maybe it’s an error on the website ... but if it’s true then definitely the health authorities are trying to hide the actual numbers again to keep the official count low!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think Abe and Trump are one in the same. They both don't have a grip on reality. Abe should have factory's retooled to start not only masks, respirators and all the necessary PPE for health care workers because it's needed.

Abe should have people handing out masks to all the people around the stations like they hand out tissues.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I usually support Abe-san 110%. But on this occasion , No Way.

A massive waste of time and money.

Effectively this is trumpism. Trying to look positive, looking for votes, and like everything trump touches , it fails.

Abe-san, please back down on this one.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Even though, there is world wide shortage availability of Masks , PM Abe has taken a bold decision to provide two reusable cloth face mask to every household in Japan to protect them from the onslaught of CORONA VIRUS in the country.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JAPAN : NOT A PRIORITY FOR INTERNATIONAL MASK TRADE

°

To be more clear : you won't receive mask when others countries need them to save lives.

Abe do what i advised imediatly : make your own fabrics protection, they are enough if you don't have the virus or work in black virus zone. Buy a hand steamer machine to purified the fabrics, it is very efficient against the virus and all type of surfaces.

I repeat : Japan is not a priority to receive mask. It is expected to send its stocks to international trade for countries where more than a thousand people is dying every day. Japan won't receive mask according to OMC laws.

Be realist, even when you pay for it and need it, they are stolen on tarmac even by america paying triple price. At home, having a mask stock make you a target to black market dealers and thieves. The situation is a real drama.

Abe is an intelligent man and even wise. He show the example for a good reason. People are dying all over the world and the official dead numbers are not high enough.

*Example :** France, today, 471 deaths in 24h from corona virus. But, we have at the same time 845 strange deads in elderly home (Official source : french national newspaper LeFigaro.fr). They are not include in most of the corona deads numbers. We have in retirement home two time the death numbers coming from hospital. And we don't have the number of people dying at home yet.*

But, the french government admit a 9% rise on the death tall number - death admnistrative act-, at the same time a year prior. And when you manipulate a little the numbers, you know, this is an underestimation because i have less than the official hospital number (or the same).

My government love to manipulate people with number and lying about their making. I made my speciality to notice it in public. So i expect we have the same number dying at home than in hospital, (they don't include hospital in death administrative act yet to win time). So we are between 1500 and 2000 deads per day in France where we are not the worse state with the dealing of corona (germany nearly have no case, but it probably uses false negative test we had in children hospital -66% false negative error in a child case where there was several test done; of course the child was infected and died in the 12 hours-).

Here, I want to worry you. Because a member of your family dying or not will depend on how you force them to protect themselves and how YOU will take care of them with fabric protect and steam cleaner.

Health care system can't handle the special corona virus care without YOU the family. Having the virus the less spread as possible is the only safe method not to have it, and to protect your economy from "lockdown".

So protect yourself, listen Abe, he is on the right track here.

°

NadAge

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

We are led by buffoons because we elected (well, Japanese citizens elected) buffoons.

And what happened to the article where Abe claimed we were not at emergency stays yet? ITT seems to be gone.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Abe catching a few winks during this meeting and Aso fumbling with his mask says all we need to know about how serious they aren’t taking this issue.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Its like a manzai comedy team. When is Japan going to get actual leaders?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Aso...familiarize yourself with "read instructions before use" it might help!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The pictures says it all. It clearly shows how much he really cares about the people for Japan!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

From the looks of it I’m just glad Abe and his cabinet are taking this pandemic so very seriously, now imagine if they were lazy and not being diligent about the severity and spreading of this virus.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yeah the pictures say it all. How easily people's minds can be toyed with.

If those masks reach every household then 2 members of each household will have a mask to use everyday.

Will it ease the desperate demand for masks?

Could it help to save people's lives?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

With a testing rate of 274 tests per million people, Japan is in close to last place when it comes to testing for COVID-19. Thailand, Peru, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Ecuador, and Costa Rica are all testing at higher rates than Japan. None of the other G7 countries test at a lower rate than Japan.

In 2014, Professor Ikegaya of Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine wrote in the respected journal Nature: "Autopsies in Japan are performed on only 1.6% of all deaths, the lowest rate among developed countries. Cause of death is almost always determined by simple visual inspection, as it was 100 years ago."

No testing: no verified COVID-19 cases

No autopsies: no verified COVID-19 deaths

No data: no problem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_testing

https://www.nature.com/articles/507306e

Two masks per household is a childish, nonsensical solution to this problem; given the politicians involved, it is not a surprise.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Viking68:

The US CDC was pitching not using masks so that horders wouldn't keep masks from medical professionals. Hard to understand the logic

You explained the logic right there in your first sentence. Do you really want a run on masks by hoarders, when supply is limited?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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