ANA Holdings Inc.  on Monday launched support for making medical gowns at a training facility in Tokyo, aiming to ease supply shortages of the item in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Some 380 group workers, including pilots, are set to take part in the project by the end of June to help make 50,000 medical gowns, according to the parent of All Nippon Airways.

The participants are expected to engage in simple sewing work and inspections of the medical gowns, which the health ministry ordered to garment maker Valley LLC., based in Kanmaki, Nara Prefecture, western Japan.

ANA Holdings solicited participants to the project from group workers, including those placed on temporary leave amid the COVID-19 crisis, regardless of position or sex.

"I want to contribute to society," said Tetsuya Ishizuka, a pilot participating in the project.

On Monday, ANA Holdings also started work to help produce medical face shields.

JIJI Press