Does Japan Hold the Key to Corona Virus Containment?

While recently browsing Bing's excellent Covid-19 tracker app (see here) I was struck by the extremely low number of cases reported in Japan, which so far has seen only around 1,100 incidents of Covid-19 infection, with a mere 41 fatalities.

This in a country of 126 million people, of average age profile much higher than many other developed countries, that is closer to the proximity of the initial outbreak than Europe or the USA, both of which are suffering much higher rates of infection. And despite, furthermore, the probability that people of Asian descent are more prone to the disease than Europeans or Americans.

Of course, there are many other countries with equally low numbers of cases, but in almost of them either the population is relatively small, or there are reasons to question the official statistics (e.g. in N. Korea, for example).

This led me to wonder if the reason could be this:

People in Japan have grown accustomed to wearing face masks to the point where, according to an article in Japan Today, "the proliferation of facial coverings sometimes has Tokyo offices looking more like an operating room."

According to the article, which, by the way, dates from as far back as 2014:

Sales figures show that use of masks has more than tripled over the last decade, with particularly large spikes caused by influenza outbreak fears in 2009 and worries over micro particulate matter following the earthquake and nuclear accident of 2011. Estimates for fiscal year 2013 value Japan’s mask market at 23.9 billion yen.

Indeed, the article goes on to explain that:

Not only have masks become so commonplace that wearers aren’t seen as unattractive, some people are finding fashion and beauty uses for them.

While doubts have been raised about the efficacy of commonly available masks in preventing infection to the wearer (and indeed can even become a source of infection if not handled with due care) it is most certainly the case that they are highly effective in reducing transmission to others. In environments where only a small proportion of the population is wearing masks the beneficial effects for the wider population are likely minimal. However, in a countries such as Japan where mask wearing is the norm (even fashionable!), there could well be a significant reduction in the onward transmission of the infection.

If there is any basis for this supposition, it suggests that it would be worthwhile ramping up the production of disposable masks, in addition to respirators (and toilet paper). Rather then a total shutdown of the economy, governments could then allow people to travel, return to work, or indulge in any normal activity providing they are wearing a mask.

Regrettably, however, this would not improve the prospects for pub-goers, unless perhaps they are willing to drink through a straw.