Face Masks

Hello, and welcome to Japanology Plus.
I'm Peter Barakan.

Ever since the outbreak of
COVID-19 in 2020,

a lot of us around the world have had to
get used to wearing face masks like these.

For many people in the West,

it was the first in their life
they'd had to do so,

and the term, "mask mandate,"
which never existed pre-COVID,

has become probably one of the most
politically divisive expressions around.

Although Japan has never
had a mask mandate as such,

Japanese people are all too willing to
wear face masks day in, day out,

and on today's program,
we'll take a look at why that is.

Masks are commonly used to
help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Among Western countries,
usage rates vary.

At the end of 2021, the USA was
at the low end, with a 60 percent rate,

while Spain was at the high end
with over 80 percent.

But with some countries relaxing
their mask mandates,

those figures have started to fall.

Japan, meanwhile, has maintained a very
high usage rate of around 90 percent.

Exactly how effective are masks
at preventing the spread of viruses?

A 2020 study showed that

a nonwoven fabric mask blocks 50
percent of incoming respiratory droplets.

If the person emitting the droplets
wears a mask,

that figure rises to over 70 percent.

Japan's high mask usage rate
is often cited

as a major reason for its relatively
low number of COVID infections.

Masks are being worn
in more and more situations,

and new types are emerging in response.

This one is for use when eating.

It has a panel that
can be opened to take a mouthful of food,

then closed again
immediately afterwards.

This one is designed for public bathing —
a popular activity in Japan.

It's made of plastic,
so it doesn't matter if the mask gets wet.

It can be also used in swimming pools,
and assisted living facilities.

As COVID-19 spread, the market
for masks in Japan grew rapidly.

Annual sales are now worth over 500
billion yen, about 5 billion US dollars.

Our guest this time is Sumida Tomohisa.

Sumida is a science historian.

The pandemic prompted him to look into
the history and culture of masks in Japan.

We're looking out on the legendary
crossing in front of Shibuya Station.

Every single person that
I can see is wearing a mask.

And that's totally typical for Tokyo,
don't you think?

Indeed.

And the fact that so many people wear
a mask even outdoors is quite striking.

When we make a comparison
with other countries,

we see that Japan is
quite unusual in that regard.

And it's not a legal obligation, either.

Right.

Yeah, I'm one of those people
who prefers not to wear a mask.

And in fact I don't wear one outdoors,

because I think it's
pretty much meaningless.

But Japanese people
evidently don't think so.

And as you said, there's no obligation,

not legally anyway, to wear one,
but everybody does.

Yes, and there are
many different reasons for that.

For example, peer pressure.

I think many Japanese feel

that they should do whatever
most people around them are doing.

We see that tendency.

Another possible reason is that
the sounds used in Japanese

are less complex than
in many Western languages.

When Japanese people practice English,

we are told to enunciate L and R clearly.

And to pronounce t-h: "th,"

you need to use your teeth.

There's a certain complexity
to the sounds in English.

Japanese, on the other hand,
uses a relatively simple set of sounds.

You don't have to
move your mouth as much.

At least, that's what people say.

Would you agree?

Yeah, it's true that you don't move your
mouth so much when speaking Japanese.

But how would that relate
to wearing a mask?

Well, if you want to
open your mouth wide and so on,

you might find a mask a bit of a nuisance.

It might get in the way.

That's one possibility, I think.

Oh, it's an interesting observation.

I'm not quite sure
whether it's that relevant.

Are there any other things
that you can think of?

There's another cultural reason
that's often put forward.

It's said that when speaking Japanese,

the eyes communicate
as much information as the mouth does.

So when Japanese people are
listening to what someone is saying,

and reading their expression,

they tend to pay attention to the eyes.

As a rough comparison, we might say that
whereas Japanese focus on the eyes,

Western people focus on the mouth
to gauge someone's expression.

A 2016 study showed that
from a very young age,

Japanese identify facial expressions
by looking at the eyes.

These heat maps show the
eye movement of 7-month-old babies.

The lighter areas are
where they concentrate their gaze.

British babies look at
the nose and mouth, as well as the eyes.

But Japanese babies focus on the eyes,

and pay little attention
to the nose or mouth.

The study concluded that British people
have a visual bias towards the mouth,

while Japanese are biased
towards the eyes.

Emojis reflect these different ways
of reading facial expressions.

In these Japanese emojis,
the eyes convey emotion.

The mouth is just a straight line.

In Western emojis,
it's the mouth that changes,

while the eyes stay the same.

This suggests that when Japanese
interpret expressions, eyes are the key.

If Japanese focus on the eyes,
and Western people the mouth,

it makes sense that masks,
which hide the mouth,

would be more of a problem
for Westerners.

Masks may make it more difficult

for Westerners to read
each other's expressions.

Hi, I'm Lemi, and this is Plus One.

Wearing masks all the time
can be uncomfortable and tiresome.

But Japanese people find a way to
make just about anything a fashion item.

Follow me.

Hello!

Hello.

I was wondering
what kind of masks you had here.

Our shop specializes in cloth masks.

Oh, cloth masks?

How are they
different from disposable masks?

Well,
we're able to scan a customer's face,

and make a reusable,
custom mask just for them.

You can scan your face?

Oh wow,
that's some pretty high-tech stuff.

Let's go check it out.

First, Lemi chooses a color.

Um, maybe I will go with the black.

Next, it's time to scan her face.

Please close your eyes,
maintain the same expression,

and keep as still as possible.

The camera accurately records
the contours of Lemi's face.

Using that 3D model,

a mask of the perfect
size and shape is carefully created.

This piece of cloth was produced
from that design.

The final step is to sew it up.

After just 30 minutes,
Lemi's bespoke mask is ready.

Here you are. Please try it on!

Thank you. Arigatoo gozaimasu. Yay!

Here is my customized mask.

Now I'm going to try it on.

Wow, look at that.

It fits perfectly.

How do I look?

Ta da!

This shop, meanwhile,
uses different fabrics and accessories

to make masks more stylish.

These masks are made of silk.
They're very gentle on the skin.

Different masks can be
matched with different outfits

to create a colorful look
that's perfect for spring!

Which one do you like?

OK, I'm going to try this one on.

Oh wow. It feels really nice.

A regular nonwoven mask
can be placed inside,

so the silk mask offers
effective protection.

The shop also has
a wide range of accessories.

These charms have magnetic fastenings.

They can be easily attached and removed.

When putting on a mask,
dangling earrings can be a nuisance.

So the shop designed accessories
to attach to the ear straps, instead.

Oh, they're all really cute.

Oh, but the cat's cute too!
OK, I want to try this one.

Oh, look!

It's a kitty! That's really cute.

Sometimes you can't
change circumstances.

But one thing I really do believe in is
trying to enjoy the little things in life.

And for many of us,
wearing masks are tiresome,

but today I found new ways
to fashionably wear them,

and make the experience more enjoyable.

Records of mask-wearing in Japan
date back at least 800 years.

This image shows a scene from 1188.

Buddhist priests are copying sutras,
with nose and mouth covered.

From around the 14th century,

feudal lords employed
the services of ninjas.

One role of a ninja was
covert surveillance in enemy territory.

They wore masks to hide their identities.

A precursor of modern masks
was invented in 1836, in the UK.

It was designed to assist people
with respiratory diseases.

It contains a metal grill,

which retains some heat
and moisture when the user exhales.

This provides relief by making
inhaled air warmer, and more moist.

These masks arrived in Japan
in the second half of the 19th century,

along with many other Western innovations.

But at first they weren't
promoted in medical contexts.

They became popular as fashion items.

Masks were symbols of modernization.

A few decades later,

healthcare workers in Japan adopted
masks as an infection control measure.

This came after doctors
and their family members died

during the plague epidemic
that began in 1899.

One factor in the spread of
mask-wearing in Japan

was the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918.

The government promoted mask usage,

with posters saying "Beware of influenza!
Not wearing a mask endangers lives!"

This prompted many Japanese to use one.

In Japan's war years of the 20th century,

many Japanese soldiers
wore masks in Korea and China.

If someone was wearing a mask,
it was assumed they were Japanese.

In the postwar years,

primary school children serving lunch
would wear masks for hygiene reasons.

This wasn't a rule brought in
by national or local government.

Instead, schools gradually
introduced the practice themselves.

In the 1960s, Japan had bad air pollution.

Then from the '80s, there was
a surge in cryptomeria pollen allergies.

Masks were now established
everyday items.

And wearing one became normal.

The widespread use of masks in Japan

emerged in response to various
circumstances through the centuries.

It's amazing, the details
you find in these old pictures.

Quite surprising.

Indeed.

In the picture
showing priests copying sutras,

the documents are extremely important,

and so they must be protected.

A person's breath
was a potential problem.

Breath was seen as unclean,

something that shouldn't come into contact
with something as precious as a sutra.

I would say that masks
fall into three major categories.

First of all,
there are masks that protect others.

They protect other people,
or other things.

I can understand that one quite well.

The idea of protecting others…well,
to use a mask to protect others…

are there any other examples of that?

Yes. People making
confectionery would wear masks.

This picture from the mid-19th century
shows a lot of people wearing masks.

It is the interior of a confectionery
store that catered to the shogunate.

Here we can clearly see that
the workers are wearing masks.

But why?

At the time, the shogun and his family
were regarded almost as gods.

They were treated with
that degree of importance.

Workers didn't want any
unclean breath or saliva

to touch the products they were making.

That's quite amazing actually.

So that's an example of
masks protecting someone else.

The second category is
masks that protect the wearer.

They offer warmth in cold weather,
and they're useful in dusty places.

In situations like that,
they protect you, the wearer.

An example of that is
the breathing-support masks

that were popular in the 19th century.

They were invented
to help people with respiratory diseases.

Cold air can be uncomfortable
for people with those conditions.

So as we saw earlier, those masks offered
relief by helping to warm up inhaled air.

Even in cold, outdoor environments,

the masks allowed people
to breathe warmer air.

And they actually became popular?

They were kind of cool?

Yes, that's right.

In around 1880, they became
popular in Japan as fashion items.

Interesting.

From then on, more and more people
in Japan started wearing masks.

And they proved useful
in various situations

that arose in the following years.

For example,
hay fever became much more common.

Right. I mean, when I came to Japan,

I don't remember seeing that
many people with masks to begin with.

But after a while, when allergies and…
hay fever allergies became really bad,

especially in the springtime,

you would see…sometimes it would
seem like everybody was wearing a mask,

and it was almost unbelievable that
so many people had allergies.

It was quite strange to see that many
people walking around with masks on.

These days,

I would say that around half of
all Japanese people suffer from hay fever.

I myself have been affected
by it since my 20s.

So every spring,
I wear a mask when I'm outdoors.

That's another example of
a mask protecting the wearer.

And now, in the midst of a pandemic,

masks don't just protect yourself,
they also protect others.

That's the third category:

masks that protect both the wearer,
and others.

So first in Japan,

we had masks that
protect other people and things.

Then masks that protect the wearer.

And then masks that do both.

Ones like that have been especially
important since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Japanese have used masks
for a long time, and for many reasons.

So it's no longer
seen as strange to wear one.

Masks are changing the way people think.

It seems that for some Japanese,
masks are here to stay.

At a time when masks are so widespread,

people are considering new ways
to make sure that communication is clear.

This can be especially important
for those working in activities

such as hospitality, education,
nursing and healthcare.

Various measures are being adopted.

This workshop, run by an airline company,

teaches participants how to
smile effectively when wearing a mask.

A mask blocks much of the face.

But if you raise
the corners of your mouth,

your eyes drop into
a pleasing crescent shape.

The difference is obvious.

The crescent-shaped eyes
— on the right —

communicate a happy expression
more clearly.

Here's another new idea.

A company produces business cards

that feature
the lower half of the bearer's face.

When held in the right position,

they can give you
a sense of the other person's face,

even when they're wearing a mask.

On the cards, I have a slight smile.

It serves as a good ice-breaker, actually.

And that's really valuable.

In preschools,
transparent masks are useful.

When children are learning new words,

it's important for them
to see the teacher's mouth,

so they can mimic the movements.

Transparent masks are
being used in other contexts too,

such as foreign language classes
and welfare facilities.

In various creative ways,

Japan is addressing the communication
problems that masks can cause.

The ability of human beings
to adapt to circumstances is

definitely something that's commendable.

On the other hand,

getting addicted to wearing a mask
seems a little bit over the top.

You do hear terms like
"mask addiction" and "mask dependence."

In fact, those topics were being discussed
even before the pandemic.

Back then many young people,
in particular,

said they wanted to hide their face.

They'd wear a mask to school
every single day.

Recently, masks have even been referred to
as "underwear for the face."

That conveys the idea of something
that you wouldn't remove in public,

under any circumstances.

Why is it that young people are so
obsessed with keeping their masks on?

Well, the main idea is that they
just don't want people to see their face.

In Japan, the pandemic
started to make an impact

at around the beginning of the school year.

April is the time of year in Japan

when many youngsters
meet each other for the first time.

And in 2020, they were wearing masks.

After that,

they got used to recognizing each other
when everyone's face was covered.

And gradually,

they may have come to feel that
they didn't want their face to be seen.

I mean, it all seems a bit strange,

but I suppose
one just has to understand it.

And maybe I could add

that revealing their face may make them
feel as if they're baring their soul.

That might make people feel anxious.

I kind of feel sorry for people.
I mean,

to get to the point where you feel you
can't show your face to people anymore.

That's a pretty big social problem.

I do think that
being unable to see someone's expression

does hamper communication.

So we're looking for solutions.

In medical facilities, such as hospitals,
you can't remove your mask.

So some workers pin a photo of
their face to their chest --

not just in Japan, but elsewhere, too.

Really?

Yes. It's intended as a way to help
patients picture who's looking after them.

One of the biggest issues
concerns the deaf community.

Being able to see someone's mouth

helps a lot of deaf people
understand what's being said.

A regular mask prevents that.

As a solution,
transparent masks are being used.

They have a see-through panel,
so the mouth is fully visible.

I think ideas like that
are very important.

Having said that,

I also believe that Japanese are extremely
good at non-verbal communication.

Ishin-denshin.

I think we can understand each other,

even if we don't actually speak,
or use an obvious facial expression.

It's a term that has been used
in Japan ever since I've been here.

You hear it very often.

Japanese people think that
they communicate without words.

I'm always a little bit
dubious about that.

If they actually started communicating
their own thoughts and feelings,

they might find that they weren't
all thinking the same thing after all.

Either way,

as a result of COVID-19, we're going
to be living in a very different world.

I'm sure of that.

Yes, and I expect that's true not just
for Japan, but for other countries too.

And I think that masks will become
more accepted in other parts of the world.

OK, thank you very much.

Thank you very much.