The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, has secured 260,000 high-performance face masks by donations from member companies to help overcome a shortage of such protective items at medical institutions amid the new coronavirus crisis, Jiji Press learned Saturday.

Keidanren, Japan's largest business lobby, plans to distribute the masks to medical institutions through the Japanese government and the Japanese Red Cross Society, informed sources said.

Keidanren is seeking donations of N95 and DS2 high-performance masks designed to prevent infections through droplets.

The United States has limited exports of such masks amid fierce international competition to acquire them.

The federation called on its member companies, totaling about 1,400, on Monday to donate stockpiled masks.

Companies, including Sumitomo Chemical Co. and Daiwa Securities Group Inc. <8601>, have complied with the request.

Keidanren is also seeking donations of dustproof clothes and goggles used at semiconductor-manufacturing plants in order to utilize them at medical institutions dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

JIJI Press