Yesterday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the government’s plan to provide face masks to 50 million households in Japan, targeting those in areas where the novel coronavirus is spreading. Each household will get two washable masks. Online, people are reacting this as they always do: with memes.
Stocks of disposable masks have been running low in Japan for months. People often line up early in the morning in front of drug stores when new shipments arrive.
“We believe (providing the reusable masks) will be helpful in responding to the rapidly increasing demand,” said Abe (via Mainichi).
Sharp has kicked its mask-making operation into gear. https://t.co/RXLGqr8Xg3
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) March 24, 2020
Companies, including Sharp, have stepped up domestic mask production. Prior to this year’s pandemic, mask-wearing was common during the spring due to allergies. When suffering from standard colds, people in Japan also typically wear masks out of politeness and not to infect others.
However, a limit of two masks per household does seem like it will leave certain family members out—something that has spawned an array of meme-type images, often with the hashtag masuku 2-mai (マスク２枚) or “two masks.”
「雫、2枚だから」 pic.twitter.com/e0tLskUR8p
— 失敗即位 (@sokuishippai) April 1, 2020
マスクが2枚しか貰えなかったキングギドラ pic.twitter.com/BL4QNxWGX0
— TaGuOo (@T_a_g_u_oCOMICS) April 1, 2020
政府発表
1世帯につきマスク２枚配布へ#マスク2枚 pic.twitter.com/0eVrjGiw2c— ろんげー (@Longe0829) April 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1245345745047154691
1ユニット2枚まで貰える布マスクを効率的に使うアルストロメリア pic.twitter.com/WoQ2KeSSBC
— 桂馬 (@keimagameinside) April 2, 2020
一世帯に二枚のマスク #贋作 #○○風に時事ネタを振り返ろう pic.twitter.com/43j8zUizyK
— 北村ヂン (@punxjk) April 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1245574193225150467
【速報】
全世帯に布マスク二枚配布へ pic.twitter.com/YwlYlfGzao— 令和速報 (@Reiwa_Sokuhou) April 1, 2020
今日は、あさ、おかさんがテレビ見てて「マスク２まいかぁ、、、」て言て、ためいきしてたから、マスク２まいでも大じょぶになるよおに、みんなで、新しいマスクのつかい方を、けんきゅしました！
ちょと歩きにくいけど、なかよしになれて、オススメだから、みんなもやてみてね！#アベノマスク pic.twitter.com/bYSg7LfpG8— 東京トガリ (@togarirecords) April 2, 2020
Be well, stay safe, and be sure to share with your other family members!
