As Japan’s annual June monsoon breaks up and high summer approaches, Nikkei News (Nikkei.com) reports on June 28 that a recent survey by medical instruments maker Tanita shows that over 75% of Japanese will continue to wear masks throughout the hot months.

 

Much of the Japanese archipelago experiences stifling heat and humidity from early July thru mid-September, making heat stroke and related illnesses a topic of national concern in the summer season.
The same survey reports that 60.7% of those surveyed intend to wear masks even when temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), and that 45% said they would wear masks while jogging and doing other types of exercise.

 

The survey notes that Japan’s Ministry of Health recommends removing masks in hot conditions, when adequate social distancing can be maintained to protect from heat stroke, etc.   45% of those surveyed said they were not aware of the Ministry’s recommendation.  (Deaths have already been reported among those exercising with masks.)

 

The Tanita survey was directed at Japanese aged 15 – 69 years.