The Pandemic Of The Vaccinated
U.S. military bases in Japan tightened coronavirus prevention measures Thursday, after an explosion of infections in Okinawa, a southern prefecture that hosts dozens of U.S. military facilities.
Since mid-December, about 1,000 U.S. military personnel on at least eight bases in Japan have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Japanese media reports quoting local officials. The outbreak began at Camp Hansen in Okinawa.
Japanese officials have expressed growing concern about the U.S. outbreak, especially as cases nationwide began to surge last week following months of success containing the virus.
People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on the street in the snow in Tokyo, Jan. 6, 2022. |
Okinawa, which hosts more than half of the approximately 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan, has suffered the worst of the surge. On Thursday, Okinawa reported a record high of nearly 1,000 new cases. That figure represents nearly a quarter of the cases reported nationwide, even though Okinawans comprise just 1% of Japan’s population.
The situation underscores the pandemic challenges faced by the U.S. military, which regularly rotates troops through bases worldwide. It also risks inflaming tensions in Okinawa, where many residents have long resented the U.S. military presence.
“It’s really scary. The number of new infections just tripled in one day,” said Manabu Sato, a professor of political science at Okinawa International University. “Okinawa, as you may know, is an isolated island. We cannot ask for help from neighboring prefectures easily.”
In a phone call Thursday with his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi requested U.S. bases impose curfews and other measures to contain the outbreak, according to Japanese officials.
Shortly after news of the phone call emerged, U.S. Forces Japan announced new measures, including requiring personnel to wear masks off base and tightening testing procedures.
“The mitigation measures we have instituted throughout USFJ are intended to protect our force’s readiness, the well-being of our families, and the health of Japan’s citizens,” the statement...