"Cute Looks"… Japanese Women Wearing Masks and Fur Arm Warmers Even in Heatwave

Japan, Winter Season 'Fur Arm Warmers' Trend
Continuous Heatwaves...Experts Warn of Heatstroke
Among Young People, 'Mask Dependency' Also Noted

Despite heatwaves exceeding 40 degrees, 'Teoltosi' for winter warmth is trending among Japanese women. Photo by Nihon TV Twitter

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Despite the continuous heatwave in Japan, "fur arm sleeves" for winter warmth are trending among Japanese women, and among young people, a "mask dependency" fear of taking off masks has emerged.

Since June, Japan has been experiencing a continuous heatwave with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. In June, at an elementary school in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, eight students complained of headaches and nausea after a physical fitness test and were taken to the hospital. On the same day, at an elementary school in Osaka City, 17 children who ran during physical education class showed symptoms of heatstroke, and one student was transported to the hospital.

As students repeatedly reported symptoms at schools, Education Minister Shinsuke Suematsu stated, "We have repeatedly told schools to prioritize heatstroke measures over mask-wearing to prevent COVID-19 infection during school life, but recently, many children have collapsed from the heat and been taken to hospitals," and issued related guidelines again.

Despite the scorching heat, "fur arm sleeves" are popular among Japanese women. According to Nippon TV, some women explained that they wear fur arm sleeves even in the heat because "they look cute." They said, "Just wearing fur arm sleeves makes us feel stylish and as if we are dressed up."

When asked, "Isn't it too hot?" they replied, "We spray cooling spray inside the sleeves to stay cool." Nippon TV explained, "The effect of making the arms look slimmer when wearing the sleeves is also one of the popular reasons among women." However, experts warned that prolonged wearing could lead to heatstroke, so caution is necessary.

Meanwhile, among young people in Japan, "mask dependency" has also become widespread. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported in May that some young people call masks "face panties (顔パンツ, Gao Pantsu)" because taking off a mask feels like taking off underwear. According to a survey conducted by the public opinion research agency Japan Information, 54.5% of respondents said they would continue wearing masks even after COVID-19 ends.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.