The writer says PM Kishida may need to use of peer pressure to convince the Japanese people to take off their masks. Read more at straitstimes.com.
TOKYO - Perhaps you’ve heard the old joke about a luxury cruise ship that was about to sink.
Many Japanese diligently obeyed the government’s request and stayed at home. There was some reaction against the government’s policies, but Japan experienced virtually none of the large-scale demonstrations and riots that were triggered by dissatisfaction with lockdowns in other parts of the world. At the same time, the government also stated that, to prevent infections among the elderly and other people, it recommends the use of masks in medical institutions and crowded trains as an exception.
Even the heads of local governments have requested that the central government provide a certain amount of direction. They say that unless someone sets the rules, it will be difficult to end mask-wearing. A common sentiment among Japanese people is that they are hesitant to remove their own masks because they are concerned about how they will be viewed by those around them. This is a real-life version of the peer pressure that pushes Japanese passengers to jump into the sea from that luxury cruise ship.
Although he has continued to repeat that message, the number of people who have taken their masks off, even outdoors, has not increased that much. On trains, no matter how uncrowded they are, there are almost no passengers without masks.
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