Selling female wore mask is now becoming a growing trend in Japan. When the pandemic started, there was a shortage of mask available, and that is why many countries saw a hike in mask pricing. However, this time masks are being sold on unusually high price for a completely different reason.
Japan is known worldwide for anime, but not many people know that Japan has a darker side of some very questionable practices. There is a market in Japan, where people buy used things, especially if they are used by a young female. This time a new market has grown in Japan for worn face mask.
Japanese news website, Post Seven reported that a 17 year old high school girl was selling used mask for as high as 500 yen. She says:
When the school banned me from working part-time and I was in trouble with money, my classmate’s friend asked me,’Do you know that mask can be sold?’ When I posted it online, I immediately received a reply, “How much is one?”. There was also a request, “I want you to put on a thick make-up so that traces remain.” I earn about a yen.
She sells them on the popular Japanese e-commerce site Mercari, and able to earn 10,000 yen (80 dollars) per month.
Some women are even selling used mask of their children. Post Seven interviewed a 34 year old full time housewife who actually sells used mask of her daughter (who is in elementary school). She revealed that the used mask of women of her age never sells, but there is a market for mask wore by elementary students. Apparently, she is doing this business after the permission of her husband.
The act of buying and selling underwear by minors is a crime in Japan, but there is a loop hole for used masks as they are not considered as underwear.
Source: Post Seven
