Why do Japanese people wear surgical masks? It’s not always for health reasons soranews24.com

Like kimono and T-shirts with English writing (sometimes vulgar, sometimes comical, always unintelligible), the number of people you’ll see in Japan wearing surgical masks is pretty surprising.
Health concerns are only part of the equation, though, as recent studies have revealed multiple reasons people in Japan wear masks that have nothing to do with hygiene.
Until that point, most masks had been made of cotton, with an inner pouch into which gauze was placed.
The introduction of these cheap, easier-to-use masks also made it more practical to wear one in order to prevent getting sick in the first place.
But as masks provoke less and less surprise, some people are using them for purposes that have nothing to do with physical health.