After the 2009 swine flu pandemic, some young people in urban areas continued to wear face masks.
[2] From May 2022, the government of Japan said, "people who are outdoors don't need to use masks, indoors, they must use it in crowded areas.
)"[3][4] On 10 February 2023, the government of Japan officially said using a face mask was a personal choice as of 13 March.
A report from Nippon TV, on 10 April 2023, found that 85.6% of pedestrians near Tokyo Station were still masked.
[6] Those who wear face masks for non-medical or non-hygienic purposes cite multiple motivations.