Okinawa, Japan: Japanese foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi in a telephonic conversation on Thursday, asked the US Sec Antony Blinken to impose stricter measures on American military bases in Japan as the COVID curve registers a spike. In a statement from the govt officials urged the Secretary to revise curbs to “alleviate local anxiety among the Japanese public.”
On Wednesday, Okinawa reported 623 new infections, a significant jump from Tuesday’s count. The active count of the province currently stood at 1,200, the health agency stated. The COVID tally on Wednesday breached the 2,000 mark for the first time in three months now.
Earlier this week, the governor of Okinawa slammed the US Military that failed to comply with the country’s COVID norms escalating the count. As per the govt stats, more than 800 US Military personnel were quarantined after a cluster outbreak was witnessed.
Authorities at Okinawa are determined to consider the implementation of a quasi-state of emergency to contain the virus, under which restaurants and bars would be shut early, and public gatherings would be capped to four people for not more than two hours.