Swine flu in Japan was still a big fear, having come into the country well after here in the US. Known simply as “The New Type of Influenza” (新型インフルエンザ) rather than swine flu, plane passengers had to fill out health questionnaires before being let off the plane, and many Japanese companies have been requiring people to wear masks into work.

The effect of this is that in some places well over half the people walking about were wearing masks. The other effect of this is that it makes for good pictures.



Aside from people in the metro and on streets wearing masks, tourist locations and airports were shockingly empty, especially when compared to how busy Japan normally is.
Tiny link: http://taii.cc/1K