Masks galore: Japanese ward off pollen, pollution

Yawn. We've been here before - here is the skinny: Many people wear masks, for protection against germs and prevention of spreading germs.This bemuses some people. The efficacy of these masks is frequently debated. Some people are put off by people wearing masks. Mask companies cash in on people's fears of germs, pollen and Chinese air. You will NEVER see an announcer/guest jester on TV wearing a mask. In the end, it's up to you.

It’s about pollen, about germs and even a little about China, its polluting rival across the sea.

I disagree. These are mere excuses. Japanese people like to hide. Behind masks. Behind fake emotions. Behind traditions. Behind structured "polite" language. Behind/withing the groups they belong to. Etc.

gaijinfo, if that were the case then look around you in August and see how many people are wearing masks.

Japanese cedar trees, many planted after World War II to increase greenery

Wow, this AP writer didn't do his research. The cedars were planted as a source of lumber, at the expense of the indigenous forests, which were destroyed to make space. Not much of an "increase greenery" concept, is it.

The reasons aren’t exactly clear.

They're fairly clear: Excessive amounts of artificial cedar forests ringing the cities. The cities are heavily concreted, which the pollen bounces off of once it's blown in from the forests, so it floats around the cities and ends up in people's noses. Solution is to restore the natural forests and create more grassy and soil areas in the city where the pollen could attach itself.

Unfortunately, most Japanese don't care enough to fix the situation. The suffering and hardship they endure daily makes them stronger, they believe.

Mask are just a symptom of how Japanese feel about themselves. Much like gaijinfo said, I too see it as a way for insecure people to hide away all they can.

“They say a lot of these masks can’t block those tiny particles, but it makes me feel better to wear it,” said Saori Takeuchi, a mask-clad Tokyo woman walking with her 9-year-old son, also wearing a mask.

There you have it. "It makes me feel better". Mask wearers here don't even care if it's effective or not - they just want to feel good. And so, with this country being what it is with its insecurity if differing from the masses, people do what they see others do. The problem for me is not the wearing of masks per se, but the mentality of far too many people not exercising their brains enough to stop and think. That is truly scary.