The Japanese have a stereoptypical reputation for personal hygene that exceeds that of the average American. That includes, among other things, the use of hot/damp washcloths or prepackaged towelettes to clean one’s hands before eating at a restaurant, and the use of surgical masks while out in public, either to avoid becoming infected or to avoid passing contagion to others.
As I sit here in America and feel the first dreadful tinglings of the common cold in my throat this morning, I’m wondering how much of a difference all of that makes.
When compared against residents of the United States, do the residents of Japan have demonstrably* lower rates of infection with contagious illnesses such as the common cold and influenza? If so, is this connected to more rigorous personal hygene practices?
*By “demonstrably,” I mean to say I’m more interested in epidemiological studies rather than individual/personal experience.
Sadly, in my years of living here, I can report that this is not generally the reason they wear them. Nearly all Japanese I have met wear surgical masks to deal with allergies, which are quite common. The “yellow dust from China” is sometimes blamed for many sinus allergy attacks. They don’t, however, typically wear them when dealing with a cold or the flu, and as previously mentioned, most of them (in my experience) do not cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. It seems that there is very little common knowledge of germ theory among the public even in Tokyo, with many of the old superstitions still quite rampant (“if you get wet outdoors and don’t dry off quickly, you’ll get a cold”. “you’ll get a cold in the winter if your hair is too short”).
Much of the reported obsession with “cleanliness” in Japanese culture has more to do with tradition and subconscious psychological pressure than any rigorous effort to sterilize the environment. I’ve known people who are just as dutiful as any about never letting a shoe touch the interior of the house, yet they have no problem with piles of dust and dirt and mildew accumulating all over. A salaryman will wipe his hands on a moist towel out of pure reflex when sitting down at a restaurant, and not pay any attention that his glass has just barely had a rag passed over it from the last customer.
Sorry that this information is anecdotal, but I think it’s worth mentioning to point out that the initial assumption that the Japanese are more hygienic may not be accurate.
The fact that most Japanese will go to work regardless of how contagious they are would suggest that they don’t necessarily worry about if they pass their viruses along to other people.
There are. In fact, kids at some schools here will brush their teeth after school lunch, often along with the teacher. Surprised the hell out of me the first time.
In this case, a mask is typically worn out of consideration for co-workers. Skipping work due to anything less than swine-flu is just not done. I have my guesses as to why but as I’m not sure I won’t dilute the conversation with my ignorance.