Hitachi said Tuesday its employees can take their face masks off providing they are not conversing and social distancing is practiced at work, easing its mask guidelines in line with the view of the health ministry.

The move by the country's industrial conglomerate covering around 150,000 employees in some 160 companies under its wing comes after the ministry said earlier this month that people do not have to wear face masks under certain conditions outdoors and indoors.

The government said recently that wearing masks outdoors is not necessary providing people maintain social distancing, with the approach of summer increasing the risk of heatstroke.

Hitachi had recommended its employees to wear masks at all times. But the company's new standard does not require masks outdoors even when they are speaking, as long as they maintain a distance of more than 2 meters from each other.

But the company said it "strongly advises the wearing of masks" indoors if employees cannot maintain a 2-meter distance even when they are not talking.

The relaxing of mask guidelines by the major industrial conglomerate may lead the way for other Japanese firms, as public debate has arisen as to the extent people need to continue wearing face coverings to combat the coronavirus.

While mask requirements are being loosened overseas in line with progress in vaccinations against COVID-19, a large portion of the public in Japan still comply with government requests to wear masks at work, school and public places.

Hitachi said it will continue to ask employees of its group to take sufficient COVID-19 countermeasures, including monitoring their health and ensuring air ventilation.

The government said recently that wearing masks outdoors is not necessary providing people maintain social distancing, with the approach of summer increasing the risk of heatstroke. | Kyodo
The government said recently that wearing masks outdoors is not necessary providing people maintain social distancing, with the approach of summer increasing the risk of heatstroke. | Kyodo