Location: Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
State of COVID-19 in Okinawa
On the evening of January 19, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki declared a state of emergency for the prefecture from January 20 through February 7 and raised the prefectural COVID-19 warning level to the highest level of 4. The Governor highlighted the recent increase in the number of infections and the possible imminent breakdown of local medical care, with hospital bed utilization rates over 90%. He also requested that residents avoid going out for non-essential purposes, especially after 8pm, and to refrain from non-urgent travel out of the Prefecture and to remote islands within the Prefecture, among other measures. Restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and other facilities are requested to shorten their operating hours.
For the full statement from the Okinawa Prefectural Government in Japanese, please review it here. For a machine-translated English version, please click here.
U.S. citizens in Okinawa are strongly urged to comply with all guidelines issued by central and local government authorities, and to monitor carefully local media for updates on infection rates and mitigation efforts in their area.
COVID-19 Testing for Travel to the United States
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that beginning January 26, 2021, all air travelers to the United States will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days prior to boarding their flight. U.S. citizens are subject to this rule. More information is available on the CDC website. Travelers should contact their local health provider to determine the location of testing facilities within Japan.
Any traveler, including U.S. citizens, who does not show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 will not be permitted to board their flight. SOFA status travelers should contact their command about their planned travel for specific requirements. A list of some COVID-19 testing facilities for Okinawa can be found online here, and for other prefectures on the Embassy website. These lists are not comprehensive.
Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Japan.
- Visit the Department of State’s Japan Country Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Assistance:
U.S. Consulate General Naha
Telephone: 098-876-4211
Email: NahaACS@state.gov