Disability in Japan

I've now been to Asia six times, five in Vietnam and one in Japan, and one striking feature I've noticed are face masks. More prevalent in Vietnam, they're still a presence in Japan, and it's triggered a question in my mind: how do deaf people read hearing people's lips when communicating with them? Facial expression is a crucial element in non-verbal communication, containing clues that help a deaf person decipher what is being said and done to him or her. Masks conceal not just the lips but also the facial expressions that help clarify what is seen on the lips. So I suggest a solution: clear, transparent face masks! I would not recommend face masks for surgeons and other doctors because of the risk of miscommunciation in the health care field, something that is not acceptable or necessary. But for two friends on an outing or in the classroom, a face mask would not bar the deaf person from reading lips or otherwise communicating via facial expression. So how about encouraging the use of transparent face masks?  Proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I've had no problem communicating with someone in a mask if they either remove it or use a transparent one.