State of emergency extended again in Okinawa

Jul 13, 2021 | News On Japan

Jul 13, 2021 (NHK) - The state of emergency covering the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa has been extended again in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

It will remain in place for six more weeks. The extended state of emergency began on Monday and will end on August 22.

At around 8 a.m. on Monday, crowds of commuters and students were seen traveling on a monorail train and around a station in the central part of Naha City as usual.

A woman in her 40s said she felt the number of commuters on Monday morning was the same as it was before. She said people have become too accustomed to the prolonged states of emergency.

A man in his 40s said he thinks the state of emergency had to be extended. But he said he doesn't know how he will be able to keep his children from getting bored during the summer holidays, as swimming beaches and other places that they like remain closed.

A Nepalese woman in her 20s said that her work shifts at a convenience store in the city had been cut, due to the prolonged state of emergency.

The woman said that she needs money to pay the tuition fees at her Japanese language school.

Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny told reporters that Okinawans must pull together, so that the state of emergency can end earlier than scheduled.

Tamaki asked people outside Okinawa to avoid nonessential travel to the prefecture during the emergency period.

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