Japan had a pre-covid mask culture. That is meaningless data, and you're better than that to cite that. Moreover, the Japanese are a very compliant culture, as most Asian cultures are. Remember when the nuke plant melted down a few years back and a whole city had to be vacated....and there was no riots, fighting, looting, etc. Yea, that's Japan. So when the Japanese COULD, with a very compliant culture mandate vaccines, and a social credit score system based on jab status, etc. etc. and they chose not to do it, I think that's something worth counting in the win column.

But you won't get a disagreement from me about all these measures needing to stop.