Japan shoppers queue, crash website for Uniqlo’s washable masks

A woman shows Uniqlo's face mask which she bought from Uniqlo's newly launched shop in Tokyo, Japan. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese shoppers queued at Uniqlo stores and crashed its website on June 19 as the clothing chain began selling face masks with breathable fabric used in the brand’s popular underwear, preparing for the coronavirus outbreak lasting through summer.

Scenes of people standing in the rain waiting for stores to open were seen throughout Japan and broadcast on Twitter, while Uniqlo’s online store apologised for crashing and later selling out of the washable Airism masks.