March 13, 2023
TOKYO – As the government’s mask-wearing guidelines were eased on Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida entered the Prime Minister’s Office in the morning without wearing a mask.
Under the guidelines, which are part of government efforts to return to a pre-pandemic way of life, people are advised to use their discretion regarding the wearing of a mask in public.
Executive secretaries to the prime minister and security personnel accompanying Kishida were also not wearing masks.
“We are not forcing individuals to wear or not to wear a mask, but we advise people to wear one when coming into contact with people who have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they get infected with the coronavirus,” Kishida told reporters.
“It is important to clearly communicate this way of thinking with the public so that many people will not be confused,” he said.