No, it’s not because some lethal infectious virus is spreading in the air.
No, it’s not because Japanese people are all workaholics and they are forced to work even though they have a cold.
In fact, look at how happy they are.
Photo from Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lloydm/4098306477
Photo from Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeena/13892844529
Then, why are they wearing masks?
Here are some of the reasons:
Recent report revealed that life expectancy of Japanese male surpassed 80years for the first time in history, making Japan the only country ever to have a life expectancy of 80+years for both male and female.
It’s because Japanese people are super health-conscious!
Many Japanese people wear a mask to prevent themselves from catching a cold or flu. “I don’t want to cause trouble to the company by getting sick”, a Japanese friend of mine told me. That explains why Japanese people are expected to live more than 80 years.
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2. Cover their face
Not only are they health-conscious, but they are also super beauty-conscious as well! Particularly young women! Most Japanese women wear make-up wherever they go, even to the closest grocery store. Hence, when they are running late for work and didn’t have the time to wear make-up, they put a mask on instead to cover their face.
3. Hay Fever
Have you ever heard of this term? It is a type of allergy caused by pollen or animal dust in the air. This becomes a nationwide concern in Japan during spring because of the pollen released by the cherry blossoms. Many people wear masks to prevent pollens from entering their nose or mouth which causes hay fever, ending up in endless sneezing and dullness.
4. Or, they’re really sick
And yes, some of them are really sick. However, as Japanese people are super health-conscious, many people wear masks when they “feel like they are about to catch a cold”.
5. They are doctors
And the obvious: because they are doctors and it is mandatory for them to wear masks. No need to explain.
Now that you know why many Japanese people wear masks, you don’t have to feel sorry for every single person wearing a mask, because the best chances are, they aren’t sick.
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