Confusion about what Americans plan to do with it all.

Shops in Japan have been sold out of masks, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer for over a week now due to people mass-buying out of coronavirus fears.

Even though the rumors about a paper shortage that caused the panic-purchasing in the first place have been disproven, that doesn’t mean they still don’t have very real-world consequences of those who need the products not being able to get them

And now similar fears are popping up in America, with stores selling out of similar supplies… with one exception: ammunition.

▼ Here’s the tweet that brought it to the attention of Japanese Twitter.
(Translation below)

“Due to the effect of the coronavirus in America, sales of ammunition have skyrocketed. ‘Record sales in February,’ ‘Double compared to last year,’ ‘Orders from Michigan up by 566 percent.’ Makers have said that ‘there is plenty of ammo in stock,’ so consumers don’t need to worry.

…what is going to happen?” 

According to the original article posted on the website American Rifleman, in addition to what was pointed out in the tweet, an online ammunition retailer saw a 99.7 percent increase in traffic compared to last year, other states have seen ammo sales jump by over 300 percent, and specifically sales of ​.223 Rem. and 5.56 NATO​ cartridges have shot up by 2,036 percent.

According to managers of stores, talking with their customers, the two most important factors in their increased purchasing are “prospect of a coronavirus outbreak and the pending elections.”

Here’s how Japanese netizens reacted to America’s reaction:

“As a Japanese person, hearing ‘we have plenty of ammo in stock’ feels like a different world.”
“Like how Japanese people feel safe hoarding rice, do Americans feel safe hoarding ammo?!”
“Japan: Masks, toilet paper, other toiletries. America: ammunition.”
“Do Americans use ammo like how we use toilet paper?”
“Wiping your butt with bullets seems… bad.”
“What do they expect to do with it? Execute people?”
“Americans believe that if there’s a scramble for toilet paper or masks, or if there’s people cutting the line at the hospital, they can put a stop to it by firing a shot in the air.”
“It sounds like they’re preparing for the end of the world.”
“Do they think that the coronavirus turns people into zombies?”
“I think Americans have seen too many zombie movies.”

No matter where you are in the world, the most important thing is to take sensible precautions against the coronavirus and not buy into unnecessary panic. If we focusing on helping each other rather than potentially harming each other, then we may discover some lovely surprises.

Source: Twitter/Col_AYABE via Hachima Kiko, American Rifleman
Top image: Pakutaso
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