Two cloth masks to every household in Japan

It has been a common practice in East Asia to wear a face mask when you are sick or to prevent pollen or harmful substances from entering your body. Now, it’s a must for many Japanese people as the corona pandemic is going on. But it is still difficult to find ordinary disposable masks at drugstores and convenience stores here because they are sold out immediately.

On April 1, our prime minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government would provide two cloth masks to every household by post. Some people thought it was a joke for April Fool’s day, and others got angry as they expected some other things such as cash. Personally, I thought it was still better than nothing though I had already bought one at a handicraft shop on Yurinoki Street in the downtown. It is next to the convenience store LAWSON near the elevated railway of Enshu Railway. The mask I chose was a simple gauze mask. The masks from the government will be of the similar type. According to the prime minister, they will start to send them from the week after next and from prefectures with many infected people.

The handicraft shop had also bigger and colorful masks. In front of the shop, there is a board saying that they are selling gauze to make a mask, which was the reason why I entered inside. I was glad to find that they also sell homemade masks because I wasn’t sure if I could make one successfully.

I know that many American and European people are doubtful about the effect of masks worn by ordinary people, not healthcare workers. But even if such masks may not be able to prevent the wearers from getting infected, they can reduce the risk to infect other people. If you have to cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve when you are talking with someone, isn’t it safer and more practical to wear a mask all the time?

I have had great concern recently. I have once lived in Finland and Sweden and have met unforgettable people in both countries. My first friend in Northern Europe was a Finnish pen pal, and I have an elderly friend in Sweden. Though both are thinly populated countries, they are in serious situation with many infected people. I have been following news about COVID-19 from SVT (Sweden), and it makes me feel uneasy to see that no one (even healthcare worker) wears a mask in interviews or press conference.

According to yesterday’s NHK news, in some European countries such as Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo, people are now obliged to wear a mask when going out. In Austria, wearing a mask became obligatory to enter a supermarket for shopping on April 1. Also in Jena, Germany, it will be obligatory in supermarkets and public transportation from April 6.

I wish this practice will be spread further to Northern Europe, up to Lapland (though it doesn’t need to be obligatory). I heard about a Japanese woman who made a mask from the textile of Marimekko. I believe Finnish and Swedish people will make stylish and practical masks when they need.