The spread of COVID 19 at U.S. military bases in Japan represents a serious hole in the nation's border control system to combat the epidemic, and as such, the government needs to take immediate action.
Okinawa Prefecture reported four cases of the Omicron variant virus at the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Hansen among two Japanese employees, an American civilian and her Japanese husband.
The base is dealing with a COVID 19 cluster. A total of 186 cases had been confirmed as of December 20, mostly among members of a rotational unit of newly arrived Marines. The prefectural government suspects that there is a link between the Omicron cases and the cluster outbreak.
The U.S. military response to Okinawa's concern is baffling.
After the U.S. military asked the U.S. military to conduct a genome analysis of those infected to determine if any of them had the Omicron variant, it was told that the base did not have the equipment for such tests in Okinawa. The prefectural government offered to conduct the genome analysis, but U.S. officials refused to provide samples on grounds that personal information had to be protected.
If the tests were necessary, they would be performed in the United States, according to the U.S. military. With the rapid spread of the Omicron variant a topic of global concern, it is glaringly obvious that genetic testing is necessary to confirm the responsible variant.
U.S. military officials stressed that the cluster does not pose a serious threat to the Japanese population, saying that those deployed recently had no contact with local residents outside the base under a protocol for restricted activity.
The four people confirmed to have the Omicron variant live off base. There have been numerous instances of U.S. service members breaching the rules, so it is hardly surprising that the fresh outbreak has made local residents uneasy.
The prefectural government offers free PCR tests for Japanese workers at U.S. bases and urges them to monitor their health condition closely. Efforts can't be effective if the U.S. military cooperates. We urge the U.S. military to assist the prefectural government in its efforts to contain the spread of the Omicron variant through genome analysis and epidemiological studies to trace sources of infection.
The problem is also a test of the political leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The administration has pledged to increase its COVID 19 border control measures and last month banned entry of all foreign nationals into Japan. Under the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, Japanese law does not apply to U.S. military service members.
The newly arrived Marine unit at Camp Hansen bypassed Japanese quarantine and flew to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa from the United States early this month.
All of the individuals tested negative before entering Japan and are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. military. The Japanese government needs to ascertain whether they self-isolated for the required period.
This is not a problem confined to Okinawa, with regard to other issues relating to U.S. bases in Japan. The delays in reporting cases to local authorities have also occurred due to the outbreaks of COVID-19, along with delays at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture and the U.S. Marine Corps air station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Last year, the National Governors Association called for strengthened steps to prevent infections at U.S. bases, saying it was the government s responsibility to collect all relevant information and promptly disclose it to the public.
In response to the COVID 19 cluster at Camp Hansen, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno pledged to make all-out efforts to ally anxiety within the local community. As Matsuno is responsible for measures to ease the burden on Okinawans due to the heavy U.S. military presence there, the government needs to match its words with action to protect the lives and health of the people.