Japan PM Abe's cloth mask handout program kicks off

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's controversial initiative to distribute cloth face masks across the nation as part of a government program to help contain the coronavirus' spread got under way Friday, with Japan Post Co. beginning deliveries in Tokyo.With widespread shortages across the nation, Tokyo and other big cities that have seen higher numbers of confirmed virus infections have been prioritized in the delivery of two washable masks to each household.Japan Post is expected to complete the delivery to 50 million households nationwide by the end of May.The government will spend 46.6 billion …READ FULL ARTICLE