The United States, which is conducting missile-defense drills off the coast of Hawaii in response to North Korea’s threats, has been criticized by Japan over its response. However, members of the U.S. military are still confident that they have all the support they need from their government and allies to keep them safe despite any actions taken by Pyongyang.,
TOKYO— After a breach in entrance procedures for American troops encouraged the spread of the Omicron form, a rise of Covid-19 infections near U.S. military posts in Japan is causing friction between Tokyo and Washington.
Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi requested Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday in Japan to limit U.S. military personnel to their bases, while areas around bases called for emergency measures to avoid the spread of Covid-19.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also voiced displeasure with the US reaction, saying he had instructed his foreign minister to seek stiffer measures during a meeting between the two countries set for Friday.
With a near-total restriction on foreigners entering the nation, Japan intended to keep Omicron at bay. However, the highly contagious variety was able to hitch a ride, even through U.S. soldiers, who are permitted to fly straight into and out of U.S. facilities in Japan under a security deal. These soldiers are not subjected to the standard immigration inspections that foreign visitors are subjected to upon arrival.
Scientists are swiftly identifying and understanding novel coronavirus variations utilizing automation, real-time analysis, and pooling data from across the globe before the next one spreads widely. Sharon Shi contributed to this illustration.
The Marines subsequently mingled with local Japanese people, including base personnel. The southern prefecture of Okinawa, where the majority of the US troops in Japan is stationed, reported 981 cases on Thursday, the country’s biggest caseload.
Forces of the United States of America Japan made masks necessary for all troops in public settings both on and off base, and recorded 1,784 active illnesses among military personnel. Around 50,000 US service troops are stationed in Japan, making it the biggest permanent US military deployment outside of the United States.
From October until late last year, Japan had just a few hundred Covid-19 infection cases each day, but the number is currently quickly increasing.
“Infections from U.S. military posts are a key cause of the Omicron variant’s spread,” Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki stated last week.
Mr. Tamaki asked for emergency restrictions on businesses like bars and restaurants, particularly those near bases, on Thursday to prevent the virus from spreading. “It’s possible that we’ll need to take even more drastic actions,” he remarked.
To prevent the virus from spreading, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki has asked for emergency restrictions on enterprises including as pubs and restaurants, particularly those near U.S. bases.
Associated Press photo
Despite the fact that the US and Japanese armies collaborate closely and have increased collaboration in the face of a Chinese threat, conflicts over crime, noise, and other base-related concerns have long plagued the alliance, notably in Okinawa. Mr. Tamaki has advocated for a decrease in the US military presence on Okinawa and opposes a proposal to replace a Marine air station in an urban area of the island with a new facility in a more rural area.
Mr. Blinken assured Mr. Hayashi that the US will closely work with Japan to preserve public health and safety in response to Japan’s request that US military personnel be limited to their bases, according to a State Department spokesman.
Mr. Tamaki has criticized the US military for taking insufficient efforts to avoid the spread of illness, especially during the Thanksgiving and year-end holiday seasons, when some service personnel stationed in Japan go to the US and return.
Mr. Hayashi, Japan’s foreign minister, protested to US Forces Japan Commander Lt. Gen. Ricky Rupp in late December that the US military did not demand negative people testing before to travel to Japan. Early in 2021, the US military in South Korea implemented a requirement for a negative test before entering the nation.
In keeping with Japanese border procedures for locals, the USFJ has increasingly strengthened safeguards and now requires workers to test negative before going to Japan and again upon arrival. On arrival, American military personnel and their families must also undergo a 14-day quarantine and must test negative before the time finishes.
“The mitigating actions we’ve implemented throughout USFJ are designed to preserve our force’s preparedness, the well-being of our families, and the health of Japan’s population,” US Forces Japan stated on Thursday in response to its decision to increase mask-wearing regulations.
A group of 529 cases at a Marine air post in the western city of Iwakuni was the highest cluster of illness on US sites in Japan as of Thursday. The Yamaguchi prefecture, which includes Iwakuni, as well as adjacent Hiroshima, requested emergency business hours limits from the national government.
Mr. Hayashi and Mr. Blinken will meet with the defense ministers of the two nations on Friday morning Japan time to discuss strengthening security relations. Mr. Kishida, Japan’s prime minister, said that it would be an opportunity to express worry to the US about the spread of illnesses.
Alastair Gale can be reached at [email protected]
Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
