Society

People in Japan have 'forgotten how to smile' from wearing masks for so long

May 16 (ladbible.com) - As workshops on how to smile crop up across Japan, it's claimed the nation has 'forgotten how to smile’ after wearing masks for so long.

'Smile practice seminars' are reportedly growing in popularity after the country eased its mask mandate for the first time this March.

Japan is one of the last counties to ease regulations, with the government now having decided to leave it up to the public if they choose to wear a mask or not.

According to The Mainichi newspaper, around 30 people attended a seminar earlier this month at a senior care centre in Tokyo.

The workshop was designed to help seniors learn to smile again and was organised by a company called 'Egaoiku', which means 'smile education'.

The company reportedly organised these seminars online before the rules were relaxed - but it seems there's been some renewed interest in the seminars.

Between February and April this year, the number of attendees 'grew 4.5 times' compared to the same period in 2022. ...continue reading

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