- ARAB NEWS
- 01 May 2025
Since 1975
Arab News Japan
TOKYO: Japan’s gaff-prone Finance Minister Taro Aso is getting tired of wearing a mask. The Mainichi newspaper reported that at a news conference on Friday, he complained that masks were “hot and itchy” and asked how long people would have to keep wearing them.
“Masks just make you feel hot and itchy around the mouth, and I hear dermatologists are thriving these days,” Aso was quoted as saying. “How long do we have to keep wearing them?”
The remark apparently came amid a series of complaints by the Finance Minister concerning prolonged coronavirus countermeasures. The State of Emergency in Japan – limited to Tokyo and three adjoining prefectures at present – is likely to be lifted on March 22.
Aso did manage to mention Japan’s economy, which remains slightly depressed, and expressed hope that consumer confidence would improve.
