In Japan, Tokyo it is common to see Japanese people walking around with masks like the kind Surgeons wear during surgeries.
Why do the Japanese wear masks like Surgeons in Tokyo?
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Even though I've added a tag and an answer I don't think this is really a travel question.– hippietrailMar 20, 2012 at 21:06
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2Hi Phil, welcome to Travel.SE. Unfortunately, this question isn't a really a fit for this Q&A site - may I suggest that you vote/commit to the Cultural Exchange proposal on Area51?– Ankur BanerjeeMar 20, 2012 at 21:40
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1Related discussion: meta.travel.stackexchange.com/questions/694/…– mindcorrosiveMar 26, 2012 at 4:55
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1 Answer
I always thought it was to avoid breathing too much pollution or avoid catching diseases from other people.
In fact it's the other way around. My Japanese friend always wears one when she has a cold because she doesn't want to infect other people!
answered Mar 20, 2012 at 21:06
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I've read that some people thought that it was due to fear of radioactive fallout from Fukushima dai-ichi. Needless to say, they've been wearing masks long before 3/11. Mar 21, 2012 at 11:04
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Yes I remember them being very common the first time I was in Vietnam too back in 1999/2000. Mar 21, 2012 at 11:34
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Related question on Skeptics Stack Exchange: skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/893/104 Oct 17, 2012 at 10:23
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1And for those who hate links that don't say what they are before you click on them: Is there any real benefit in the everyday use of surgical masks to protect oneself from radiation? Oct 17, 2012 at 10:27