I can unfortunately not post any link to the original source due to this subreddit rule, but I thought this would be an interesting thing to discuss here:
While Japan has fully reopened to tourism, the country is encouraging travellers to follow antivirus measures including wearing masks. According to Kyodo News, however, the government is now considering relaxing the recommendation for the public to wear masks indoors unless they have Covid-19 symptoms.
This potential change follows the government’s announcement last May that stated masks were no longer required outside as long as an appropriate social distance was maintained. Since then, people are encouraged to still wear masks indoors, including on public transport and at restaurants when not eating.
The relaxation in rules comes as the government also mulls downgrading the Covid-19 classification status to the same level as influenza, which was also reported by Kyodo News. Currently, Covid-19 is labelled under the Class 2 disease category, but could potentially change to Class 5. According to the report, Japan is considering this change as Covid-19 has become gradually less fatal and the country is keen on boosting the economy.
35 comments
Won’t change anything in reality tho, I walk my dog every day and most people are wearing masks that will be the case even more indoors
If we pretend the problems over long enough… Maybe it will go away. /s
Yup. I don’t see Japanese society dropping masks for another 2-3 years
The government can make whatever superficial rules it wants to about masks, I’ll definitely keep wearing masks inside and outside in crowds. I used to get influenza two or three times a year, and it knocked me on my ass every time. But I haven’t had the flu for years now (knock on wood), so I’m never going back to a mask-free life.
Even though I never felt masks were truly effective, I did not mind wearing them if it made people feel better.
But my patience is definitely worn thin now. But I know government appeals to the jittery public to friggen relax already won’t work.
They will have to take extreme measures like ban masks or protect the rights of non-mask wearers threatening actual penalites for a change to happen.
Maskless 2030 here we come!
It would be nice to not have to wear masks in gyms.
about time but ppl will still continue. I don’t care if they do tho. Their choice. I haven’t worn a mask besides to the gym and it feels nice.
Relax what you want. People will still wear them. I know I will, at least inside. I don’t really wear them outside that much unless I’m in a crowd.
It would be nice to remove the disgusting dirty plastic dividers/shower curtains across restaurant tables.
Rules, you say.
The committee for COVID19 management made up of expert scientists and doctors has repeatedly and vocally come out against dropping any measures until the situation improves. [link](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230117/k10013952401000.html) English language or foreign media keep pushing out these articles about doing away with prevention measures so take them with a grain of salt.
The reality is pandemics take several years to subside and things have already been rushed. Simple measures (masks, ventilation, sanitization) to counteract infection should remain in place until a time where it is safe to remove those measures. Looking at past pandemics this is around 3-5 years, but COVID has thrown many curveballs up to now. Especially as more and more research builds up showing the detrimental effects of infection even in young adults and children, it’s in the best interest of everyone to protect others by doing simple things.
Not until spring at the earliest, assuming the current wave actually subsides and XBB1.5 doesn’t screw us over. Nothing to get excited about yet.
Reminder that r/CoronavirusJapan exists to read and share COVID news.
About time! I just came back from spending 3 weeks in Australia over Christmas and it was so nice not having to wear masks anywhere (especially in the heat!)
I would have thought that the rules’ “You can link to news articles to cite a source” would cover linking to the original….. (??)
I was in Roppongi (first time in ages) the other day for shopping and I saw *a lot* of people (a lot relatively speaking, I’d say about 20% of people I walked past) not wearing masks. Then I came back to where I live (Chiba) and 99% of people are wearing masks… so yeah.
I suppose Roppongi has a much higher proportion of foreigners (relative to most parts of Japan and even Tokyo) who are probably more likely to not wear a mask outdoors and not care what others think, which may have created the environment for (a small subset of) Japanese people to feel like they could also remove their mask outdoors and not be “that one rude shithead not wearing a mask”.
More generally, I don’t think Japan will stop wearing masks until:
1. the news channels stop reporting COVID numbers every day
2. we stop seeing TV shows with people wearing masks and/or standing behind plexiglass dividers
As for myself, I wear a mask out of habit now. Not wearing a mask is almost like not putting my socks on. There must be some effect because I used to get sick all the time (colds, runny noses etc.) but almost never in the last two years. Besides, masks are great during the winter because they keep half your face warm. It’s like 600-700 yen for a pack of 60 disposable masks so that’s like 300 yen per month. Hardly breaking the bank.
Plus, you never know if there’s going to be that one shop/restaurant that insists on people wearing a mask so I suspect that we’ll all end up carrying a mask in reserve even if we don’t wear them that much.
Good
I haven’t seen the faces of the girls at Maid Cafes in way too long.
I’m excited.
For outside, crowded or not, the government guidance for months has been that masks are not necessary… it sadly hasn’t had much impact.
If the guidance changes, I do hope at least schools encourage the children to take off their masks – it is not good for social, linguistic, and even physical/respiratory development.
I don’t wear a mask but don’t particularly mind if others want to. I do hope though that “no mask” becomes the normal again for others soon – I don’t think it reflects well on society to see so much illogical behavior.
Japanese people will still be wearing masks in the year 3000, seeing as nobody has the balls to be the first to stop wearing them.
It’s not going to mean anything when indoors is mostly private businesses who are setting their own rules.
My university doesn’t enforce the mask rules strictly so a bunch of people aren’t wearing masks anymore
and rightfully so
As long as some Japanese girls think they look cuter with masks on, I doubt that masks will go away anytime soon.
Yeah my filtered masks aren’t going anywhere. If other people stop masking that gives me *more* reason to keep wearing mine. Even the colds here always knocked me on my ass before and I quite like not getting sick constantly.
The guidelines already say that masking outdoors isn’t needed. …And we can see how well that’s going.
Haven’t masked for months, and just ignore anyone that asks me to mask
My favourite is the reporter doing a Zoom call while wearing a mask – NHK and a couple of the private channels still do this.
The whole mask situation has been pretty interesting to say the least. Around major stations there is always almost 100% mask usage, but once you move away from major stations, some days I see almost 50% of people not wearing masks while other days I still see almost everyone wearing masks.
Some restaurants I’ve been to have some employees (not all) that have stopped wearing masks and got rid of the plastic dividers while others still have all their employees wear them (although none of the restaurants I go to have the plastic dividers anymore).
I think I noticed alot of these changes around the time the government first recommended people to stop wearing masks outdoors. But I guess for people who live in central tokyo around major stations, it may seem as if nothing has happened.
Does that mean tarento will not cosplay as Pepper Steak workers with their stupid mouth shields anymore?
It honestly doesn’t even matter at this point. Everyone here is so judgmental over masks even if rules were relaxed, people (other than tourists) will continue wearing them because of social norms. Hell, over half the people I see driving alone in their cars are wearing masks. Masks are here to stay forever unfortunately.
So looking forward to this! Agreed most people won’t actually take their masks off but at least I’ll have an excuse for taking mine off
> I thought this would be an interesting thing to discuss here
I’ve read through some of the comments, and it’s exactly as I susepected. This sub is full of morons who hate masks simply for imposing a lifestyle on them whether they wear one or not (i.e others wearing them), or even more moronic, think they’re not effective.
Personally, I think it’s incredibly stupid to stop advocating for masks indoors. It makes perfect sense for the government to continue to reduce pressure on the healthcare system where they can, because it is an absolute shit show when it comes to covid, even still. Morality is not just an issue, so is morbidity.
Additionally, people think the government is the only entity who cares about spread and everyone else is just following their mask mandates. But restaurants, gyms, hairdressers, dentists, some people want to reduce spread and keep their business open. I know lots of private businesses that take this seriously so they can stay open, healthy and people can come.
I’m always ‘To each their own’, and non-essential private property should be able to decide their own rules, but a general relaxing of rules is not a good idea, not yet.
Majority of people aren’t even that inconvenienced. You don’t wear a mask when settled in a cafe, bar, restaurant etc, and no one’s stopping you in 7-11 or even on the train if you don’t wear a mask.
The end of mask fishing is coming!
Too slow, I already stopped last year
Yes please so I don’t have to wear a mask while giving birth in April! 🙄