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Why are people in Japan getting lessons in how to smile?

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. Maybe you've been here. You're walking down the street, you make eye contact with someone, and after having worn a mask for so long, you forget to smile. Well, people in Japan are getting lessons in how to smile again. Classes start with stretching to relax, then the practice of moving different muscles in the face to relearn how to smile without looking too awkward. Or you could work in radio, and nobody knows what your face is doing. I promise, I'm smiling. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.