Japanese company busy making Joe Biden rubber masks

Studio began producing masks resembling the US president-elect in the middle of October

Last updated: November 13, 2020 | 19:06

AP and Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

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Saitama, Japan: While surgical masks have been highly sought after this year, Joe Biden rubber masks are also seeing some demand.

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Ogawa Studios, a Japanese manufacturer, began producing masks resembling the US president-elect in the middle of October, ahead of last week's election.

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Workers in Saitama, a city north of Tokyo, mold rubber to form a likeness of Biden's face, while features including his pearly white teeth and blue eyes are hand-painted.

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"Biden's keywords are dialogue and healing, so we created it with the image of a gentle expression," said Kouki Takahashi, from the administration department of Ogawa Studios. So far, around 1,000 masks have been sold.

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The same manufacturer was flooded with orders for Trump masks before Trump's inauguration as president four years ago.

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While sales of Trump and Biden masks were about the same last month, Takahashi said they are seeing more sales in November for the president-elect.

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The manufacturer said making politicians' masks is good for business.

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"Compared to character products, politicians are in office for a long time, so their total sales tend to grow significantly as their popularity continues to grow," Takahashi said.

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Trump and Biden masks are both sold for 2,400 yen ($23) apiece in Japan.

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An employee prepares the final touches to rubber masks depicting President-elect Joe Biden.

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