An ongoing measles outbreak in Okinawa is causing concerns about tourism ahead of the Golden Week holidays after 65 infections were recorded over a one-month period ending Thursday, the Okinawa Prefectural Government said.
Already hotels in the popular resort areas have received more than 170 cancellations from Japan and overseas guests ahead of Golden Week celebrations later this month, reported The Japan Times.
The prefectural government is warning prospective visitors to ensure that are vaccinated. “It’s hard to say ‘Please come’ with confidence,” a government source said.
Hotels are taking preventive measures, such as encouraging employees to get vaccinated, but concerns remain as the airborne disease is highly contagious.
In 2015, the World Health Organization declared Japan free of measles after infections involving the indigenous virus had not been confirmed for three years, though there were imported cases of measles.