USFJ Threatens Punitive Actions for Personnel Violating Coronavirus Restrictions

It looks like USFJ is about to take the actions USFK took early on in the coronavirus outbreak in South Korea, by using UCMJ and other punitive actions to stop military personnel from breaking public health policies:

 Coronavirus rule breakers will face “quick and appropriate action,” the commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan said in a video message Thursday, after people from the garrison were seen partying in off-limits parts of Tokyo.

“It seems like a few members of our team are starting to lose focus,” Col. Thomas Matelski, who oversees Camp Zama and Sagami General Depot in Kanagawa prefecture, said in his message on the garrison’s Facebook page.

U.S. Army Japan, which has been in an elevated health protection status since late February, increased its coronavirus risk level to “substantial” Thursday after discovering three new cases in its community. The Army reported five other infections earlier in the week. (……)

“Recently we have seen situations with our youth and soldiers in off-limits party areas in Tokyo,” Matelski said. “Some seem to think that rules are there to be broken. I can assure you that that is not the case.” (…….)

Leadership will take quick appropriate action when situations like this occur, Matelski said in his video.

Penalties can range from an immediate 14-day restriction of movement to action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, early return to the U.S. of dependents or being banned from military facilities in Japan, he said.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but it seems like this is going to be hard to police. The major entertainment districts of  Roppongi, Shinjuku and Shibuya are huge areas of Tokyo. Is USFJ going to send in patrols to question everyone that looks like they may be in the military? Personnel just need to do the right thing and comply with the restrictions that USFJ has put in place to minimize coronavirus infections on post.