Masks stay put in Japan as 3-year request to wear them ends

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Hardly anything changed when Japan dropped its request for people to wear masks after three years. Most commuters exiting Tokyo’s main train station Monday morning were wearing masks as they headed to work. Some lawmakers wore masks during a televised parliament session, though Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wasn’t wearing one when he arrived at his office. Dropping the mask-wearing request is one of the last steps Japan’s government is taking in easing COVID-19 rules in public places. The country has had an extremely high regard for the effectiveness of masks at anti-virus protection.