Japan Has an Omicron Surge. And This Governor Is Blaming US Troops.

American troops have come under fire for a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Japan. 

As of Jan. 7, more than one in three of Japan’s new cases are from Okinawa island, which accounts for only one percent of the country’s population. 

The island is home to U.S. military facilities. Of the 100,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan, 80,000 are on Okinawa. 

Okinawa prefectural governor Denny Tamaki blamed U.S. troops for this recent rise. “The U.S. military's measures to prevent and manage the spread of infection are inadequate. I am furious," Tamaki said at a press conference on Sunday. 

He argued that since U.S. troops are exempt from Japan’s border restrictions, and the U.S. military did not immediately report a COVID-19 cluster at a base, this double effect has produced a bad outbreak. 

About 90 percent of cases in Okinawa are of the Omicron variant. Cases have jumped twentyfold in just one week, surpassing its previous record of daily cases.

The highly contagious Omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading globally, with Japan just one of the latest countries to see a steep spike in cases. 

Though Japan has reimposed strict border controls to curb the variant, American forces are able to move freely in and out of the country, under a bilateral security agreement.

About the bilateral agreement, Okinawa’s governor Tamaki said, “Structural problems in the Status of Forces Agreement between Japan and the U.S. have made it impossible to provide sufficient information on infection prevention.” 

Gorden Allen, a former Marine, said he understood Governor Tamaki’s criticism of the U.S. armed forces, given the number of reported cases from the military, but also why service members may need to be exempt from strict national border controls. “As a former Marine, I can say that once an operation begins it's difficult to bring all moving parts to a halt,” he told VICE World News.

Marines moving their gear, trucks, and armory were all necessary to complete their job, Allen said. The work for some field operations starts months before. Recalling one mission, he said, ”This mission was planned a year in advance. There were specific roads we had to take for safety, among other precautions to make sure everything and everyone got there on time without accidents.” 

Unlike the restrictions imposed by the Japanese government on civilians, the U.S. military command did not require quarantine for 14 days for personnel arriving in Japan.  Until recently, vaccinated service members also did not have to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival or departure. 

Okinawa hosts about 70 percent of all U.S. military facilities in the country. The bases have long been a source of tension between the two nations. In the past, U.S. bases on Okinawa have been criticized for flying aircraft over residential areas and disturbing the lives of civilians. Forest fires, water pollution, habitat destruction and other natural disasters have also been attributed to the U.S. military’s presence on the island. 

Anti-base protestors have also condemned the U.S. for crimes against civilians. Over the years, there have been a number of sexual violence cases committed by military personnel, including the notorious rape of a 12-year-old girl by three servicemen in 1995. More recently, a former U.S. Marine was convicted of raping and murdering a 20-year-old woman in 2016. 

In light of this recent spike, U.S. Forces Japan has increased restrictions for military personnel. Mask wearing is now mandatory off-base, even for those vaccinated, as is taking a COVID-19 test upon arrival in the country. 

"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,” U.S. Forces Japan said in a formal statement.

“We recognize we all have a part to play in keeping our communities safe,” the command also said. 

Okinawa and two other southern prefectures hosting American bases are requesting quasi-lockdowns to combat the most recent rise in cases. To curb the spread, the governor Tamaki has also asked Japan’s government for permission to strengthen the prefecture’s COVID-19 measures, which will likely include shortening business hours for bars and eateries. 

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