Service with a (visible) smile is returning to Japan.

More companies in the service industry plan to let their employees go maskless at work from May 8, when the government downgrades COVID-19 to a less-severe Category 5 under the infection diseases prevention law.

The shift in anti-virus mask policies at the companies reflects the rising desire in the industry to return to pre-pandemic normality.

The government on March 13 eased its COVID-19 guidelines, saying individuals can decide whether to wear masks or not, regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors.

But even after that move, many companies in the service industry continued to require their employees to wear masks at work.

Although some companies will maintain their mask-wearing mandates after May 8 out of “consideration for customers,” they appear to be in the minority.

Employees of Hoshino Resort Co., a Nagano Prefecture-based operator of inns and hotels, will stop wearing masks at work on May 8.

“We believe that what’s important for the tourism industry is that staff greet guests with a smile to communicate a welcoming feeling,” a public relations official of the company said.

So far, Hoshino Resort’s mask rules have been situation-based, such as whether staff members are indoors or outdoors or in direct contact with customers.

According to the Japan Hotel Association, which counts 244 hotels across the nation as members, an overwhelming majority of accommodation companies have required their employees to wear masks, even after March 13, for such reasons as “consideration for guests who are concerned about infections.”

Such hotels have allowed guests to decide on their own about whether to wear masks.

“It’s the view of many hotels that they want to return to how they operated before the pandemic, and that it would be better with no restrictions on guests’ behavior,” an association official said.

The tourism industry is finally recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of domestic travelers has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, while foreign visitor numbers have recovered to around 70 percent of figures before the novel coronavirus spread around the world in 2020.

With the further lifting of border controls late last month, more foreign visitors are expected to arrive in Japan.

Many in the industry hope the “unmasking” trend will further drive up demand for travel.

Businesses in the retail and banking sectors are following the same trend concerning masks.

Three major convenience store chains--Seven-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart--will leave it to individual staff members to decide whether to wear masks at work from May 8.

The companies will also allow each store to decide what to do with spittle-blocking partitions placed at cash registers.

“The look of convenience stores will be very different once shop assistants remove their masks,” a person who works in the industry said.

MUFG Bank Ltd. will allow counter clerks at its branches to decide whether they will wear masks.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. has left the mask decision to individual employees, except for counter clerks at its branches, since March. The choice will be available for all employees at the megabank starting on May 8.

However, department store chains are not so united on mask policy.

Both Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co. and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. will let individual employees decide on whether to use the protective facewear.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings will also remove acrylic boards and infrared thermography scanners to measure body temperatures from its stores.

But Takashimaya Co. will continue to require employees to wear masks for the time being to ensure customers feel safe.

“Around 80 percent of shoppers at our stores still wear masks,” Takashimaya President Yoshio Murata said. “It’s not our stance to allow employees to remove masks before our customers do so.”

He said the company will review its mask policy “by observing the situation in society.”

In the rail industry, Hokkaido Railway Co., East Japan Railway Co., Central Japan Railway Co., West Japan Railway Co. and Kyushu Railway Co. will allow train crew to decide whether to wear masks at work or not.

In contrast, Shikoku Railway Co.’s train crew and station attendants will still be required to wear masks, in principle.

(This article was written by Sachiko Miwa, Yoko Masuda, and Ryoko Takahashi.)