Japan fights coronavirus in luxurious style with million-yen masks

No better than the 10000 I picked up at the 100 yen shop.

Every one seems to be trying to cash in on the high end masks. There was a $1.5M mask released the other month that was just insane. A huge waste of money.

Those masks how many times it will decrease chance not to get infected, especially with that price?

"The jewelry and fabric industries have also been in a slump because of the coronavirus and so we did this as part of a project to help revitalize Japan,"

Love this! The industries are in a slump, so selling ridiculously overpriced face masks is going revitalize Japan’s economy? Do people actually believe this guff?

Totally useless, ridiculous...

What is the point to wear an $1.5k mask?

There are nice masks out there!

Ad by the way, useless news...

Stupidity has a high price tag it seems...

Now, because of this, there will be a line of women, lining up at their local knock-off shop waiting to buy one, for 100,000 yen, even though it only cost about 500 yen to make it.

Then wait for the explosion of "instgram" selfies bragging about their new masks!

For people who bought this they should be asked to give to charity for the same amount. They obviously have enough money.

Obscene.

I wonder if people who actually bought this will continue to wear this even after the pandemic is over and its not flu season.

The most ridiculous part of this is that there are people who will buy these things.

Add a Made in France sticker and they’ll pay double the price.

”Furansu made? Sugooooooi”

it didnt match the situation.

Sign of the times, so just for posterity's sake, put this in a frame next to abe's mask. Maybe even add a little comment like, human intelligence rose to the occasion when it was faced with a severe existential crisis.

What a brilliant idea!

As people get laid off and businesses close let’s conspicuously buy overpriced goods to make everyone feel better...

OK, let me fix this

Gold-digging mistresses and the narcisisitic rich fight coronavirus in luxurious style with million-yen masks.

OK fixed

The article says ‘with the aim of cheering people up’

A fool and his money, comes to mind

Everyone is feeling down because of the coronavirus and it would be great if they could feel better by looking at one of these glittering masks," Azusa Kajitaka, a mask concierge at the company's store near Tokyo station, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Not everyone moron, Mikitani, Yanai,Son, politicians to name just a few are not feeling down.

Sorry, this attention grabbing stunt o won't make me and most people feel better,

Famous people, actress… will buy it and use it for ceremonies, luxurious diners and charity events. As they buy expensive diamonds, Rolex watches, etc….

It is not for the commoners.

"Everyone is feeling down because of the coronavirus and it would be great if they could feel better by looking at one of these glittering masks," Azusa Kajitaka, a mask concierge at the company's store near Tokyo station, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Abenomask (still remember?) fits me better. But I don't want to tease the attempt. Hopefully it uplifts feelings as well as consumption. I like the title "mask concierge" :)

People with the effrontery to wear such disgustingly ostentatious masks are just begging to have them snatched from their mugs (if they wander outside the confines of their gold-plated world of privilege and conspicuous consumption).

Aside from the obscene nature of such a product, how are you supposed to keep it clean? Are the diamonds and pearls safe to put in the washing machine?

This sounds like the most unhygienic mask around.

The most ridiculous part of this is that there are people who will buy these things.

Mostly, they will be JAV actresses, club hosts/hostesses, and corrupt bureaucrats. These people wastefully spend money on the dumbest things. The Japanese gold-diggers will probably the number one customers of such obscene products.

"The jewelry and fabric industries have also been in a slump because of the coronavirus and so we did this as part of a project to help revitalize Japan," she added.

Additionally, Japanese elites aren't doing well either as their wealth depreciate every year if they keep saving their money. The only way to keep their wealth high is through constant investments, like their European peers. However, Japanese people aren't the brightest investors around. Just look at SoftBank's mad gambling issues and Japan Post's failure at handling TOLL (Australian global logistics corporation).

Lack of streaming sources of money and wealth = Lack of luxury consumption.

The major customers of Japanese luxury and jewelry products are mostly Chinese. The slump that she said is more like the lack of Chinese tourists because there are increasingly fewer Japanese elites buying expensive jewelry and fabrics since 2008.

Do the luxury gardening gloves come with it

Do the buyers realize that once you touch the mask with your fingers one or more times, or use it in a crowded indoor situation you have to throw it away and get a new one?

Yeah, but why tho?

I am not sure...is it disposable ?

Disposable income.

Due to Covid-19 I have been watching Star trek (again) in some ways Japanese remind me of the Ferengi.

This just seems like something they would do.

display your opulence and hide your face at the same time. makes no sense sure but if you're rich who knows

This hilarious. Wait until this virus is gone wasted money but desperate times desperate measures.

I rather have a gas mask than that piece of rag.

This is just depressing.

I await the articles about a spate of muggings or similar in which these masks are stolen.

Why donate 99.1% percent of that money to some family affected by Covid in Tokyo where it has been hit the hardest and really feel good about yourself. Or better yet take the money and bulk buy masks and donate them to schools or in areas where they will be used to curb the spread.

My God this virus is making people absolutely lose their marbles.

Sorry to preach. But Jeesh!

Tasteless and tacky in the extreme. But then ill mannered displays of wealth always are. Very nouveau riche.

Uh, OK, I'll take a dozen of them. Can I pay on the installment plan?

Only in Japan! think John should do a piece on this.

I considered buying a set of seven for every day of week in cash, but as they are not FFP3 and therefore useless, I changed my mind and wear the usual cheap ones....rofl

Look pretty heavy and like a total pain to wash.

Pity they missed the mask award.

I can't wait for them to have a Christmas sale. Maybe get a BOGO deal. LOL.