Japan’s coronavirus response questioned as tourism nosedives on its tropical islands

Japan’s southern islands have fewer virus patients than elsewhere in the country but their tourism industry is just as badly hit

Those in the industry blame Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for not inspiring confidence that regions such as Okinawa and Kyushu are safe for travellers

Reading Time:4 minutes

A security guard shows a body temperature measuring device at the reception of a government office in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:30am, 6 Mar 2020Updated: 7:36am, 6 Mar 2020

Idyllic Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture, has only reported three confirmed coronavirus cases since passengers from the disease-riddled Diamond Princess cruise ship came ashore in the capital of Naha five weeks ago.

Excluding cruise ship passengers, about 330 people throughout Japan have tested positive for the virus, with about one-third of patients coming from the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, a winter wonderland popular with Chinese tourists where the governor declared a state of emergency last week.

Residents and tourism workers of subtropical Okinawa, which has a population of about 1.4 million, believe it is safer than colder climes hit by viral outbreaks such as South Korea, Iran and northern Italy – pointing to how only a dozen or so cases have been confirmed in the whole of southwestern Japan.

But restrictions on travel are crippling the tourism industry of Okinawa, which attracted about 5 million international visitors in 2018, according to the latest official figures.

Sunrise in Naha, Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. Photo: Kyodo

Hotels have been laying off workers and shutting doors, during what would usually be a busy time for tourists from across East Asia.

Japan’s coronavirus response questioned as tourism nosedives on its tropical islands

Japan’s southern islands have fewer virus patients than elsewhere in the country but their tourism industry is just as badly hit Those in the industry blame Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for not inspiring confidence that regions such as Okinawa and Kyushu are safe for travellers

Japan’s southern islands have fewer virus patients than elsewhere in the country but their tourism industry is just as badly hit

Those in the industry blame Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for not inspiring confidence that regions such as Okinawa and Kyushu are safe for travellers