Okinawa asks Golden Week tourists to stay away over coronavirus concerns
- Governor Denny Tamaki is worried the 60,000 people expected to head for the prefecture will cause a surge in imported Covid-19 cases
- Local travel companies agree with his stance, despite some already going bankrupt as the pandemic hits travel
“I apologise for having to say this, but Okinawa is under a state of emergency,” he said, adding that there was “no way we would be able to provide the very best omotenashi” – a Japanese term that means to wholeheartedly look after guests.
“Medical systems in the prefecture, including those on our outlying islands, are also facing a critical situation,” Tamaki said. “Please delay your visit until we are once again able to accept visitors.”
Okinawa has reported 134 cases and three fatalities to date. Health authorities say there have been no new cases in the prefecture for the past five days.
In an indication of the pandemic’s impact, the governor’s stance is a contrast from the prefecture’s call last October for tourists to go ahead with plans to visit despite the destruction of one of its most famous landmarks, Shuri Castle, in a fire.
