TOKYO, May 13, 2022—In the trains and on crowded sidewalks of Tokyo, where COVID-19 infections have been relatively stable at a four-digit, face mask-less people are hardly seen even when the city’s governor says she is considering relaxing the mask mandate and even though there’s hardly any penalty for not wearing one.
Face masks seem to have become the Japanese people’s integral body part or compulsory gear for human activity in places and situations other than where one can be alone like a bathroom. No joke, in fact, many people wear masks even in family living rooms and in bed.
A recent random survey result taken from young generations one radio station aired said that even if the mask mandate is lifted, more than half of them will continue wearing it. Respondents said that the face mask has become part and parcel of their bodies and they wanted to be identified by third parties by wearing it. Others said they were afraid about showing their full face to other people. A small percentage of respondents said they wanted to continue wearing it to avoid disease infections.
Clearly, many do not want others to read their expressions and lips in this increasingly complicated society.
From the sociological perspective, a different explanation emerges: Yes, the face mask was vital during the initial stage of the pandemic three years ago and it remained important to to prevent the virus spread in the ensuing period, the reason why the government and municipalities asked and pleaded people to wear the mask. But now, most other countries nave lifted the mandate and people are mask-free. But in Japan, where the public sector is suggesting lifting the mandate, people continue in favor of wearing.
Because the Japanese are subservient to authorities and love regulations – politicians and bureaucrats must have rejoiced at this national character.
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Insight Into the Future