The mask production site ... Opening a 24-hour factory Kagawa Kanonji March 11 22:04

Unicharm, a leading daily necessities manufacturer, has opened to the press a factory in Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture, which operates 24 hours a day to increase production of masks that are running low due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.

Unicharm has been increasing production of masks since late January by strengthening its production system in an attempt to address the lack of masks caused by the spread of the new coronavirus.

On the 11th, a factory in Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture, was opened to the press, and workers packed boxes of masks that had been packed in bags of 10 by machines on the production line.

According to the company, domestic mask factories have three to four times as many employees as usual, producing three shifts 24 hours a day.

The production volume per week has been increased to about 25 million pieces, which is twice as much as usual, but it means that orders from business partners have not been able to keep up with production one after another.

Hitoshi Watanabe of the Unicharm Public Relations and Investor Relations Office said, "We are working on full production every day so that even one person can deliver the mask to as many people as possible, hoping that the spread of the virus will subside as soon as possible. When using a mask, I want you to check the correct way to use it to help prevent infection. "

Mask supply Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "secure 600 million pieces a month"

As mask shortages continue, domestic manufacturers continue to increase production three times as much as usual around the clock.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the supply of masks exceeded 100 million units a week at the end of last month as a result of encouraging domestic manufacturers to increase production. The company has secured a supply of more than 100 million sheets.

Regarding cloth masks that can be washed and used repeatedly rather than disposable, the government has decided to purchase 20 million pieces in bulk as part of the second stage emergency response and distribute it to nursing care facilities and daycare centers nationwide. .

The fabric masks produced by Japanese manufacturers at overseas bases have been arriving in Japan since 9th.

The government also plans to purchase 15 million masks in batches and distribute them to necessary medical institutions.