Germ-free Goods (2005-04-04)
There must be a lot of germaphobics like me living in Tokyo. Why? Because the number of merchandise on the market that bears the words--Kou Kin--on its package is vast. These two magic words mean "Anti-germs" which inform the customers that the product is germ-free or has been treated to rid of bacteria. Sure, you would say. Many goods do benefit from a treatment of germicide before they go to the store shelves. But germaphobics don't just want your common perishible goods or medical supplies to be clean and sterile, we want more.
The kind of germ-free commodities I see on the market include
kitchen wares, clothing, bedding and even stationery. Although I
am always happy to see merchandise that are free of nasty bacteria,
I think germ-free bowls, socks, blankets and pens are a little
too much. These things are not for normal people, they are for
germaphobics a hundred times more paranoid than me.
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