The Anti-Mask Protesters And Covid-Deniers In Tokyo

In pre-pandemic Japan, mask-wearing was a way of life. If you got sick, the polite thing to do was wear a mask to avoid wearing infecting others. If you were suffering from seasonal allergies, you would don a mask to help protect yourself. Mask wearing was not uncommon. Even before covid, it was normal and accepted, which is why the anti-mask protests in Tokyo are even more startling.

During the novel coronavirus pandemic, a very small group of protesters have been saying masks are “not necessary” and that covid-19 is “just a cold.”

Translations for signs shown:

必要なし: マスク、ソーシャルディスタンス、三密を避ける、自粛。
Not necessary: masks, social distance, 3-densities, self-restraint

コロナはただの風邪。
Corona is just a cold.

— Tom Kelly ケリー・トム (@tomkXY) August 10, 2020

Protesters have been holding small “cluster festivals” outside busy train stations in Tokyo. As these “cluster festivals”, groups of non-making-wearing participants listen to music and speeches against mask-wearing. There were even plans for non-mask-wearing protesters to ride the crowded Yamanote train line.

https://twitter.com/a/status/1292726137097818112

Mainstream Japanese news outlets covered have covered these events, while “no mask” (ノーマスク) and “cluster fest” (クラスターフェス) started trending on Twitter in Japan.

https://twitter.com/a/status/1289491444055474176

The “covid is just a cold” movement is led by YouTuber Hiratsuka Masayuki, who ran for the Governor of Tokyo under the fringe Popular Sovereignty Party and the slogan “Corona is just a cold.” Masayuki received only .15 per cent of the vote, and the majority of people in Japan seem to be complying with mask-wearing and social distancing.

This is what they believe in apparently. Sounds familiar eh. I guess these people exist everywhere, sadly. pic.twitter.com/fl3Nzf9a9F

— Makiko Itoh (伊藤牧子)未だ故障中 (@makiwi) August 9, 2020

This isn’t only in Tokyo as there seems there is also a “no mask silent walk” in Nagoya later this week.

As of today, there were 206 reported covid-19 cases in Tokyo, which had come down from several 400-plus days earlier this month. This week is the Obon holidays, so that might explain the lower numbers. Granted, these covid-19 figures are much lower than hotspots abroad.

New COVID-19 cases in Tokyo, last 7 days (8/13)

463
423
331
197
188
222
206 <–today

Testing is fairly low because it is a holiday week (Obon)
https://t.co/wDnkHJXCgT

— Makiko Itoh (伊藤牧子)未だ故障中 (@makiwi) August 13, 2020

But if the numbers are low in Japan, why wouldn’t people want to help keep them that way? And for those in places where the numbers are high, why wouldn’t everyone want to do everything possible to change that?