A handheld portable fan. [Getty Images]
A handheld portable fan. [Getty Images]

As temperatures hover around 40 degrees Celsius across Japan, a debate has erupted over whether people should use handheld portable fans on public transportation — a device that has become a summer staple for many commuters.

The controversy was sparked by a recent SNS post from Kobara Buras, a Russia-born broadcaster and columnist, according to Yomiuri TV on Tuesday.

"Please turn off your handheld fan on the subway. The unpleasant breeze carrying evaporated sweat from your face blows directly onto me standing next to you," he wrote. "Please check that the airflow is not directed at people beside or behind you before using one."

In an interview with Yomiuri TV, he added that "a strong gust directed at someone else's face is a major source of stress — it's no different from blowing air at them." He urged people to be considerate and restrained in public spaces.

The post set off a heated online debate over the use of handheld fans on public transit.

Those opposed argued that body odor and perfume can travel on the airflow, that the fans can cause discomfort in crowded spaces, and that basic manners should be observed in public.

Supporters pushed back, saying the subway is simply too hot to go without a fan and that collapsing from heat illness would cause far greater inconvenience to others. Some noted that sweating through clothes was the real alternative, while others said they had actually leaned toward a neighbor's fan to catch the breeze.

A Yomiuri TV survey of 400 men and women aged 15 and older found that 57.5 percent opposed using handheld fans on the subway, while 42.5 percent were in favor.

Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency flagged safety concerns, citing reports of hair being sucked into fan blades on packed trains and of fans dropped on the floor emitting smoke and a bursting sound when used afterward. The agency urged caution.


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