Japanese mayor says only men should be allowed to go grocery shopping during coronavirus crisis because women take too long

• Mayor Ichiro Matsui's remarks on gender shopping behaviour sparked backlash
• There are currently 1,500 virus cases in Osaka, the most cases after Tokyo 
• Matsui also said that married couples should avoid going shopping together 
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

The mayor of Osaka has come under fire after saying women take longer than men while shopping as he tried to promote social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

By Friday morning there were nearly 1,500 coronavirus cases in Osaka and the prefecture that surrounds it, making it the second hardest-hit after Tokyo.

Japan's government has declared a nationwide state of emergency till at least May 6 in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

In Osaka, Mayor Ichiro Matsui has been appealing to people to take steps to reduce the risk of virus infections, but his remarks over gender shopping behaviour stirred controversy.

'When a woman goes... it will take time,' Matsui said when asked by a male reporter about possibly reducing shoppers' entry to supermarkets to lower the risk of coronavirus infections.

'If it was you, if you were told to get this or that, then you would go directly... and go home,' he said. 'It's also fine for men to go shopping while avoiding contact.'

Matsui, who also said married couples should avoid going shopping together, drew criticism on Japanese Twitter over his remarks, with users saying they were sexist.

'Japan is a country where these words come calmly out of a mayor's mouth. Deplorable,' said one user today.

'Women are deciding more quickly when shopping,' the user said, adding he took longer to find the right aisles for items he needed.

Matsui on Thursday also said people should limit how often the go to the supermarket to shop, suggesting people born in months with an even number should only go on even dates, and those with uneven numbered months should go on uneven dates.

Ref: CNN, Dailymail