Why do people in Japan wear surgical masks??

Question

Just wondering, if anyone knows?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

They're sick, and don't want to spread germs. The masks are sold in drugstores, and come in a variety of colors and fashions.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Good answer. Thanks to EVERYONE that has commented! To bad Americans aren't as thoughtful as the Japanese folks!! Some Americans just hack ther lungs out on behind someone on a bus or whatever and they dont bother to cover there mouth. SICK! WE should wear masks 2!!

Answer 2

Good question. A few reasons.
1. They are sick, and dont wanna cough all over people
2. A cold is going around and they dont want to catch it
3. People around them are sick
4. Haven't brushed their teeth (lol)

OR. 5. Pollution is bad, they dont want to breath it in
6. Hay fever or some other allergy.

Its not weird to have a mask. I have never done it, but many people I know put a mask on around winter time, or when a flu is going around. Long story short, to protect others from their cold, protect themselves from others, or pollution, or allergy

Source(s):

live in Japan. friend wore a mask 2 days ago.

Answer 3

wearing mask, reasons are

1. Don't want to spread virus. if they are sick..
2. If they are working in restaurant, they wear mask for sanitation, if they sneeze or cough, it helps. this is a Must in many restaurants especially if it is in the kitchen.
3. If they have allergies, hay fever or runny nose, when it is severe, it helps.
4. If they have infection on the mouth, it helps.
5. If they are avoiding people to recognize them, perhaps..
6. When they work in factory that cause dust or other chemicals.
7.Pollution problem.


have lived Tokyo, started using mask and found it is really helpful if you know about sanitation and prevention of virus.

Answer 4

askawow47 is right.

It's because of pollen allergy or dust allergy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay_fever

The mask is little bit different from the surgical masks for medical purpose. Those masks are made for prevent pollen and dust in the air.

30 years ago, Japan government forested mountains, mainly with cedar trees. It was for protecting the environment. But today lots of Japanese are suffering from the allergy caused by the pollen.

http://edit.store.yahoo.co.jp/lib/goodch…
http://www.net-way.co.jp/mask/mask1.jpg
http://www.shizaicom.net/Le-mask1050.jpg

Answer 5

Perhaps they have cold and don't want to spread the germs to other people. It's just a little courtesy to people around them.

Answer 6

OK, everyone already mentioned these two:
1) Japanese people don't want to spread germs.
2) Japanese people don't want to catch germs.

But here's one I didn't see:
3) The surgical mask acts like a mini-greenhouse, and gives you moist air to breathe. So, it's really helpful to breathe moist air if you've got a cough or something. You can also add a little essential oil of lavender or tea tree, and then you've got a mini-spa over your face. It works wonders!

I used to think masks were quite weird, but I'm a believer now!

Answer 7

It's their way of showing consideration to others. When they get sick, they still feel like they have to go to work, but they don't want to transmit their germs to others. Remember, japan is a crowded country and many people commute by trains, so germs could spread easily in such close quarters without the masks.

Answer 8

It's not only Japan. It is very common to see this in any large city in Asia. There are several reasons for this.

Pollution is a huge problem because of the mass amounts of traffic. you can see a lot of people that ride motorcycles wearing these masks.

Another reason is a lot of people are very health concious. They will wear the masks when they are around a lot of people. This because more common after the SARS scare in 2003.

Answer 9

Hi,

I'm Japanese.

We wear a white mask because we don't want to spread any germs that we've caught to other people.

For example, when we have a cold, we cough a lot. So we wear a white mask. When we have some allergies, we cough a lot. So we wear a white mask. It's just a simple reason to wear this white mask.

But some people wear a mask to hide their face before they commit a crime. These people usually wear sunglasses, a white mask and a cap/hat: http://oponchieli.blog.ocn.ne.jp/oponchi…

But even though people are not criminals, some of them are mistaken as criminals because they look like one by wearing a white mask, sunglasses and dark clothes like the picture above :)

But basically we wear this white mask for not spreading any germs.

Source(s):

Japanese girl

Answer 10

sometimes its for fashion and some tiems its because they are sick in japan people are very big about getting sick they dont like germs and they are just really polite^^

Answer 11

before i ask the same question too ,not long before my sis catch the hay fever.its her only protection she can get to avoid contact with allergens coming from trees .she wear it the last month of winter till late spring time and she hates it!

Answer 12

The Japanese wear surgical masks for two reasons.

The first one many people have already mentioned. It`s to prevent the chances of getting ill during the cold and flu season. In the winter months, it`s normal for every other person you pass on the street to be wearing a mask.

The second is the Japanese etiquette of putting the group/society above the individual. If you`re sick in Japan, you don`t want to spread your illness. They are EXTREMELY polite here, and if a person is taken ill, they will wear a mask for the duration of their illness so as not to spread their sickness to others.

As mentioned, masks come in a variety of styles and colours. You can buy the standard blue or white surgical masks in grocery or drug strores. But it`s normal to see high school and middle school students with really crazy ones in funky colours and patterns. These you can get at department and specialty stores, and tend to be more expensive.

Answer 13

because the air quality is bad and there are things flying in the air that if you dont wear a mask when your outside your chances for becoming sick increase.
its close quaters and not much air flow to circulate

Answer 14

because of hey fever or allergy or cold.
americans dont use musk so much. american elementary schools do not allow to wear musk. but not in japan.
normally, people uses musk instead of tissue.

Answer 15

To filter the air they breathe as much as they can.

Answer 16

Germs?

Answer 17

too many people in close quarters - protecting themselves from germs.

Answer 18

FOR FUN

Answer 19

To prevent from getting SARs and Avian Flu.