70 more newly infected with Covid among US Military in Okinawa; governor’s criticism, “The result is widespread infection within our prefecture.” (3ja21)

On 2 January, Okinawa Prefecture reported 70 newly confirmed Covid infections among the US Military (Commander of US Forces Japan, Lieutenant General Ricky N. Rupp) in the prefecture. There were over 300 cases on both 1 and 2 January.

Governor Denny Tamaki held a press conference. He noted that the infections have spread widely even outside the bases and, “There is no doubt that the US Military is the cause.” He further criticized the American response. It offered a detailed breakdown such as number of cases by base, but no clarification on whether the Omicron strain was included.


The total of US Military cases has risen to 3,683, and the prefectural totals do not include them. The number of confirmed prefectural cases has risen to a level between 40 and 50 since the end of 2021.


Because of the Military’s lack of thorough prevention measures such as the use of masks and Covid testing, the governor offered this strong criticism, “I’ll bear in mind my intense rage. I’m telling you, don’t drag your American problems into our Japan!”


Original Japanese article: Kyodo News, published Sunday 2 December 2021 at 19:07

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bcfa4d6021dc8365f0a9b41f931ad3e0ffad2117


Translator’s note:

Denny in the News: news about Okinawan Governor Denny Tamaki.

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 

  1. This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 

  2. Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.

  3. Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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