Kind of, sort of. Japan officially cant take legal action against non-compliance at the National level, but they can leverage massive social pressure instead. Its for this reason that Japan de jure didnt shutdown, and their shutdown consisted of them asking business owners to close (which they did).
Also, mask wearing is pretty hit and miss. Humidity means they wipe the mask with their hands and then their face next. Or lower the mask and walk around. The mask situation is actually a lot less than "every one wears a mask all the time" as the narrative goes.
Kind of, sort of. Japan officially cant take legal action against non-compliance at the National level, but they can leverage massive social pressure instead. Its for this reason that Japan de jure didnt shutdown, and their shutdown consisted of them asking business owners to close (which they did).
Also, mask wearing is pretty hit and miss. Humidity means they wipe the mask with their hands and then their face next. Or lower the mask and walk around. The mask situation is actually a lot less than "every one wears a mask all the time" as the narrative goes.
Mask wearing when you're sick has also been part of a lot of Asian cultures, especially Japan, for decades or longer.
It's a little different for them from here.