US Forces Japan To Lift COVID-19 Restrictions On Personnel On January 31 - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2022) The Japanese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that the US Forces Japan would lift COVID-19 restrictions on activities of their personnel outside the US bases in Okinawa on January 31, according to Kyodo news.

On January 6, Japan registered a record high surge in COVID-19 cases in the prefectures of Okinawa, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima. The prefectures' governors blamed the US personnel deployed to Japan for the rapid spread of the coronavirus, as it was revealed that the soldiers had not been tested for COVID-19 since fall. On January 7, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi urged the US military command to prohibit American soldiers from leaving their bases. Restrictions were introduces on January 10.

Restrictions included a limitation of movement of the US soldiers outside military facilities, a curfew from 10 p. m. to 6 a.m., and obligations on wearing masks even at the bases.