【Text/Observer Network Zhang Zhaodong】
According to the Japanese media Kyodo News Agency reported on January 5, the number of new coronavirus infections in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, has surged in recent days, and the number of new cases reached 623 on the 5th. Okinawa Prefecture believes that the culprit of this round of the epidemic is the local US military stationed in Japan. There was an outbreak of cluster infections at the Hansen camp of U.S. troops in Okinawa Prefecture last month, but according to local media reports, these U.S. troops still flock to nightclubs outside the camp, shop in bars, wear masks, and ignore epidemic prevention policies.
Screenshot of the report
According to the data released by the Okinawa Prefectural Government on the 5th, there were 623 new confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Okinawa on the same day, which is the most serious area in Japan in this round of epidemics. Since the beginning of the new year, the number of new crown infections in Okinawa Prefecture has surged, reaching 130 confirmed cases on the 3rd and 225 confirmed cases on the 4th. The highest number of infections in a single day in Okinawa Prefecture so far was 809 on August 25 last year. Since the outbreak of covid-19 in Japan, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Okinawa Prefecture has increased to 51,743.
Okinawa Line Governor Tamaki Danny announced on the 4th that "(Okinawa) has entered the 6th wave of the new crown pandemic, and the speed of virus transmission is extraordinary." For the outbreak of a new wave of the epidemic, the Okinawa prefectural government believes that the local US troops stationed in Japan are the culprits.
As early as January 2, Yucheng Danny angrily condemned the US military in Japan, saying that they brought the Aomi Kerong mutant virus to Okinawa, "The sharp increase in the number of infected people reflects the imperfection of the US military's epidemic prevention management system, and we are very angry about this." ”
Okinawa Prefectural Governor Tamaki Danny Photo source: Japanese media
In mid-December last year, there was an outbreak of cluster infection at the Hansen camp of U.S. troops in Japan in Okinawa Prefecture. It is reported that the US military units that broke out of the cluster infection did not go through the quarantine of the Japanese side and directly entered Japan from the United States. The latest data show that the OKIN military stationed in Japan added 130 new confirmed cases on the 5th, and the growth rate was at a high level. Since the outbreak of cluster infections at the base in December, 1,001 U.S. troops have been infected with the new crown virus.
Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" reported that after the outbreak of cluster infection at the US military base, the Japanese people working at the base continued to appear to be infected with Aomi Kerong. Based on the results of genomic analysis, the Ami kerong mutant virus, which is thought to be "from the U.S. military," has spread dramatically inside and outside the base.
After the outbreak of cluster infections at Hansen camp, the Japanese government and the Okinawa prefectural government asked the U.S. military in Japan to ban the outing of the base personnel. However, according to the Okinawa Times recently reported that media reporters saw that American soldiers were still in groups in the commercial streets outside the camp to visit nightclubs, bars and eat at restaurants. Not only do they not wear masks, but they make loud noises in the streets.
When asked about the outbreak at Hansen camp, a 21-year-old U.S. soldier replied: "Soldiers who test positive have been quarantined and the rest of the soldiers should be safe." As for the Japanese government's request that the U.S. military in Japan issue a "no-foot order" for soldiers, another U.S. soldier responded, "I have not heard of the prohibition of going out." ”
U.S. Troops in Okinawa Infographic
U.S. military bases in Okinawa Prefecture Source: Japanese media
This incident caused great indignation among the local people of Okinawa Prefecture. Katsuru Ojo, a 74-year-old traffic coordinator, said that although they are in the U.S. military, since they are in Japan, they should abide by Japan's epidemic prevention regulations.
However, the idea of Ayutthaya Katsu is currently unattainable. Japanese media reported that according to the relevant contents of the "Japan-US Status of The Union Agreement", the Japanese government cannot even grasp the names and numbers of US soldiers entering the country; it can only "wait and see" the epidemic prevention measures of the US military bases in Japan.
On January 4, Japan's cabinet chief, Hiroichi Matsuno, was asked at a news conference, "Is the reason for the sharp increase in the number of infections in Okinawa Prefecture because of the U.S. military?" Matsuno sidestepped the question at the time, saying that "the results of the U.S. military's genomic analysis have not yet come out, so I will not comment." ”
On January 5, Hiroichi Matsuno formally responded to the matter, "asking the Us side to more thoroughly prevent the spread of the epidemic." Okinawa Prefectural Governor Tamaki Danny also announced on the 5th that he would ask the government to take "applicable key measures such as preventing the spread of the epidemic." ”
In addition, at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 5th, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin pointed out in response to relevant questions, "The outbreak of a cluster epidemic at overseas military bases of the US military is not a case that poses a serious threat to the lives and health of the people stationed in the localities." South Korea, Germany and other places have had incidents in which US military personnel have caused the spread of the epidemic. There should be no 'extralegal place' in epidemic prevention, let alone 'extralegal people'. The US side should deeply review the negative impact of its own actions on international anti-epidemic cooperation, strictly restrain the behavior of US troops stationed abroad, adopt a respectful and responsible attitude towards the lives and health of people around the world, and not be a negative example of the global fight against the epidemic. ”
Hiroichi Matsuno, japan's cabinet chief official
According to Kyodo News Agency, on the 5th local time, more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections were added in Japan in a single day, and the last time more than 2,000 people were on September 26, 2021. In addition to the most serious Okinawa Prefecture, 390 new people were infected with the new crown virus on the 5th, the last time more than 300 people were on September 26 last year, while Osaka Prefecture added 244 new confirmed cases on the 5th, the first time since October 6, 2021, the number of new cases in a single day exceeded 200.
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