Posts Tagged ‘swine flu’

Japanese mask family

As autumn approaches, the swine flu is expected to spread. This protective mask company is now running commercials on Japanese TV that show how wonderful it is to have masks for the whole family:

As happy as the people in the commercial appear, I find the idea of entire families wearing masks to be pretty depressing.

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Hundreds of flu-fearing residents line up to buy masks

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry reports that newly confirmed cases of H1N1 flu peaked last week, and the infection rate is now in decline. The government has eased anti-flu measures and flights from abroad will no longer face quarantine checks. Schools that were closed because of flu fears are reopening.

None of that seems to have had much of an effect on residents of Takarazuka, about 800 of whom lined up yesterday at city hall to buy protective masks:

The masks went on sale at 10:00AM and sold out quickly. Some people had arrived as early as 7:00AM to wait, and because the city had only 500 boxes of masks available, hundreds of people went home disappointed.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Sea of Japan, flu fears have whipped up xenophobic bullshit. Foreigners in South Korea, even some who have not traveled abroad in the last several months, are being treated as likely sources of disease. Parents of students are calling schools to inquire about the safety of having their children in the same room as a foreigner, and foreign teachers are being told to stay in their houses and avoid contact with other foreigners. Have any of this site’s readers experience something similar in Japan?

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New Yorker to mask-wearing Japanese: “You look stupid.”

A Japanese reporter wearing a mask asks a man in New York City what he thinks of wearing masks as protection against the H1N1 flu:

After telling telling the Japanese reporter he looks stupid, the New Yorker goes on to say that masks are not necessary and the media is just trying to create panic.
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The news program in question conceded that masks may not be very effective at protecting people not yet infected with the flu, but they did run some tests and determine if infected people should wear masks:

Since the particles and spit seem to fly farther when one doesn’t wear a mask, they recommend that anyone showing flu symptoms wear a mask. (There was no test on the effectiveness of coughing or sneezing into one’s sleeve.)

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Arima Onsen suffering due to swine flu

Arima Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture’s most famous hot springs resort, has taken a huge economic hit because of the H1N1 flu outbreak in Kansai. To convince tourists to stop canceling reservations and visit their town, locals gathered to clean-up the area and bring attention to the fact that Arima Onsen is safe:

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Chinese city donates 100,000 face masks to Kobe

Tianjin will be sending its the sister city some masks to deal with the swine flu outbreak:

The northern Chinese city Tianjin is donating 100,000 disposable face masks to its sister-city Kobe to help it fight the outbreak of new-flu infections, Chinese state media said Friday.

In a report on its website, Xinhua News Agency said the city had started an overnight drive to collect the masks Thursday after city councilors learnt about the Japanese city’s need.

The masks, adorned with a Chinese flag and a sticker that reads “Tianjin supports Kobe,” will be flown from Beijing later Friday, Xinhua said.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo: The principal of the school that sent two students to a model UN conference in New York City has made a public apology for letting his students travel to the flu-infested United States.

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
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Shops and restaurants try to lure customers with anti-flu measures

As fears over the spread of swine flu cause people across Japan to cancel outings, many shops and restaurants have been seeing a decline in business.

Here are a few examples of businesses that have come up with clever ways to make customers feel safe:

• A conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain in Kansai has begun to put plastic cases over sushi dishes. The customer interviewed is impressed and feels it makes the sushi safer.
• Domino’s Pizza has ordered its employees to wear masks and regularly check themselves for fevers. When answering the phone to take orders, they announce to customers that their staff will be wearing masks. Their deliverymen apologize for their appearance and tell people that they are wearing the mask as protection from the H1N1 flu. Apparently some people prefer the safe feeling of eating at home to the dangers of going to a public place, so Domino’s sales have more than doubled.

• A group of small stores in one Tokyo area have joined together to launch an essential food/product delivery system. Customers who are afraid to venture out into the flu-infested world can just fill out a form and have the products they desire left at their doorstep.

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
• Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)