The governor of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa is asking that two US Marine Corps facilities there be put into lockdown after 36 new Covid-19 cases were revealed at one of them Wednesday.
The new cases at the US Marine Corps’ Camp Hansen bring to 136 the number of coronavirus cases reported at US military bases in Japan since July 1, according to the government in Okinawa. Almost all of those cases are on Okinawa.
Gov. Denny Tamaki told CNN in an exclusive interview on Wednesday that Camp Hansen and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which have the most virus cases, should be put into lockdown.
He also said no new US military personnel should be allowed to transfer into Okinawa from the United States.
“Honestly, I have doubts about whether adequate precautions are being taken to prevent the virus from spreading."
He said he has received no response to his requests from US interim Ambassador to Japan Joseph Young or Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono.