Japan has relaxed laws on haircutting to allow barbers
and stylists in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami to
clip and style at evacuation shelters or makeshift shops, a report
said Saturday.
The current law bans barbers and beauticians from cutting hair
anywhere other than authorised shops, apart from for housebound
customers or weddings.
The government has relaxed the regulations for a period of about
two years starting this month, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
Many hairdressers' shops were damaged or destroyed in the March
11 quake and tsunami which wiped out whole towns along the
northeast coast.
The measure covers barbers and beauticians who cannot run their
businesses as before or who are living in shelters due to the
quake, the paper said.
The paper said the law had been changed following requests from
local people who were unable to travel to a proper barber shop or
hairdressing salon.