Two American military bases in Okinawa (southern Japan) were confined after a surge in cases of coronavirus within them, which caused a stir on this island where the presence of American troops is highly disputed.
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Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Monday that 62 cases of Covid-19 had been detected in the past few days among US forces stationed in Okinawa. Most of these cases were recorded in the air base of the Futenma Marine Corps as well as in another American base on the subtropical island, Camp Hansen, added Yoshihide Suga.
Restrictions until further notice
The administration of the Marine Corps in the Pacific responded by deciding to suspend almost all outings, according to directives published on its Facebook account. These restrictions " until further notice " apply to all Marines as well as civilians working there and their families, it said.
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An Okinawa prefecture official confirmed to AFP that these restrictions only apply at the Futenma and Camp Hansen bases. The strength of these two bases were not disclosed for " security reasons ", added the official, while the US military authorities could not be reached immediately.
Tensions with local elected officials
The announcement of these outbreaks has rekindled tensions with local Okinawa politicians, as many islanders contest the strong local American military presence. Occupied by the United States after the Second World War and then transferred to Tokyo in 1972, the Okinawa archipelago is home to a large part of the approximately 50,000 American soldiers present in Japan, while it represents less than 1% of the total area. from the country.
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The region's governor, Denny Tamaki, said on Saturday that he was " shocked " by the number of cases of coronavirus at American bases on the island. " I can't help but have serious doubts " about the effectiveness of their preventive measures against the risk of infections, Denny Tamaki told reporters.
Okinawa Prefecture has asked the Japanese central government as well as the US military authorities to provide information on these outbreaks more quickly. The region has also asked that American soldiers and their families arriving in Okinawa now observe quarantine around the perimeter of the bases, and no longer in hotels outside of the bases.
