Five individuals in the Yokota community tested positive for COVID-19 18 Sep-21 Sep. The current number of active cases at Yokota is 18.

Due to aggressive contact tracing and notification procedures, one individual was already placed in quarantine as a close contact of a previously identified positive case.

The four remaining individuals were identified and quarantined by Public Health according to strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Public Health has notified all close contacts of the COVID positive individuals and appropriate actions have been taken. The patients are currently in isolation under supervision by medical providers.

If you are experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or sudden loss of taste and smell), DO NOT go to work or expose others. Call the COVID Command Cell (C3) Hotline at DSN: 225-1300, option 1 or Cell: 042-552-2510 Ext. 58864 Opt. 7 for evaluation and instructions.  For questions about ROM, please utilize your chain of command.

Local Area Definition:

·        SOFA-status personnel should be aware there is a Government of Japan (GoJ)-declared State of Emergency in Tokyo, Okinawa, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Gifu, Aichi, Mie, Shiga, and Hiroshima prefectures until 30 September 2021. Additionally, the GoJ has instituted a Quasi-State of Emergency (priority preventative measures) in Ishikawa, Fukushima, Kumamoto, Miyagi, Okayama, Kagawa, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima prefectures until 30 September 2021.

Local Area Limitations:

·        Effective 0000 JST 17 September 2021, unvaccinated, DoD uniformed personnel are no longer restricted to Yokota Air Base. Other prohibitions contained within this memorandum still apply.

·        Unvaccinated individuals will not be sponsored on base except if conducting official business or with authorization from the sponsor’s squadron commander or equivalent.

Physical Fitness Activities:

·        Unvaccinated individuals are prohibited from exercising or otherwise engaging in physical fitness activities inside the Samurai Fitness Center & Annex.

Mask Wear Guidance:

·        All personnel are required to wear masks in high traffic, on installation common use areas where co-mingling with non-familiar individuals (individuals other than family members, co-workers, and friends) is likely.

·        Unvaccinated individuals will continuously wear masks while on Yokota Air Base or Tama Hills Recreation Area.

Isolation and Quarantine Policies:

·        The wing’s policies regarding isolation and quarantine requirements are currently under review. Updated guidance is forthcoming.

The wing’s policies regarding isolation and quarantine requirements are currently under review. Updated guidance is forthcoming.

DoDEA Schools:  Please direct questions to DoDEA Pacific and visit www.dodea.edu/Pacific for more information.

School Age Care:  Open to currently enrolled Single/Dual military.

Child Development Center:  Open to currently enrolled members. Reduced hours: 0730 – 1630.

Youth and Teen Center:  Closed.

Chapel: The base chapel has resumed in-person worship services with COVID-19 prevention measures in place.  Online alternative formats remain available. Follow “Yokota AB Chapel” on Facebook for more information and updates on services and other Chapel program events. For counseling appointments call 225-7009.

Legal Office/Tax Center: Clients seen by appointment only.  Call 225-8069 for legal assistance or 225-4926 for the tax center.

Housing Management Office: Clients seen by appointment only. Please coordinate with housing counselors by phone at 225-3252, or email at 374ceshousing@us.af.mil.
FSS Activities: Please monitor the Yokota FSS website for event updates at https://yokotafss.com.

Samurai Fitness Center: Unvaccinated individuals are prohibited from exercising or otherwise engaging in physical fitness activities inside the Samurai Fitness Center & Annex. The only exception to this prohibition is for official physical fitness assessments (PT tests), to include diagnostic tests, and participation in mandated fitness improvement programs.

Before you schedule your appointment for a new CAC or Uniformed Service ID Card, visit https://www.cac.mil/Coronavirus to see the changes implemented by the DOD concerning CAC/USID cards during COVID-19.  

a. To protect personnel and their families from the continued transmission of COVID-19, I have established a local area within Japan. The local area is currently defined as the country of Japan.

b. SOFA-status personnel should be aware there is a Government of Japan (GoJ)-declared State of Emergency in Tokyo, Okinawa, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo, and Fukuoka prefectures until 12 September 2021. Additionally, the GoJ has instituted a Quasi-State of Emergency (priority preventative measures) in Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Fukushima, Aichi, Shiga, Kumamoto, Miyagi, Toyama, Yamanashi, Gifu, Mie, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Ehime, and Kagoshima prefectures until 12 September 2021. SOFA-status personnel may enter these areas in accordance with paragraph 3. All personnel are expected to comply with COVID-19 mitigation measures created by the GoJ. Many businesses in these prefectures may be closed; other essential services may be open but with shortened hours. Members who currently live in one of these named prefectures may continue to travel to and from their residence for purposes of going to work or for any other purpose currently approved in this policy.

c. Members are also authorized to visit other military installations within the local area, however, visiting installations that are currently in HPCON Charlie status requires prior approval from the first O-6 in the member’s chain of command.

d. All DoD uniformed members must remain in the above-defined local area while on duty, leave, liberty, or pass unless on mission-essential travel or otherwise formally approved pursuant to the requirements in paragraphs 4 and 6. SOFA-status members of the civilian component and SOFA status dependents are highly encouraged to remain within the defined local area and any departure from that local area will subject them to restriction of movement policies upon return.

a. Due to significant increases in the number of COVID-19 positive cases within Japan, travel to the Tokyo metropolitan area and mainland Okinawa is prohibited for all personnel. The Tokyo metropolitan area includes, but not limited to, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi. A map defining the restricted areas within metropolitan Tokyo is located at https://www.yokota.af.mil/COVID-19/ and is also attached to this memorandum. The only exceptions to this prohibition are the following:

• Individuals may travel to/from and lodge at the New Sanno Hotel (4 Chome-12-20 Minamiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0047);
• Individuals may transit through prohibited areas if they do not stop travel prior to reaching a destination in a non-prohibited area;
• Individuals may stop in prohibited areas for mission essential travel as defined in paragraph 4;
• Individuals may travel to prohibited areas for non-mission essential travel upon approval of the first O-6 in the individual’s chain of command

b. In addition, all personnel are prohibited from engaging in non-essential services and activities where COVID-19 prevention measures cannot be maintained within any prefecture in Japan. Specifically, personnel may not enter any off-installation bar, nightclub, karaoke club, social club, or other facility with a potential for crowds, close contact, or closed spaces.

c. All personnel are reminded to use caution and risk mitigation efforts when engaging in non-essential activities both on and off the installation. This includes, but is not limited to, avoiding crowded areas such as indoor restaurants, busses/trains, stores, etc. Furthermore, while engaging in non-essential services and activities on or off base, members must wear masks unless an exception indicated below applies. While at other U.S. installations in Japan, Yokota members are expected to comply with that installation’s COVID policies.

MAP PDF

a. Mission-essential travel outside the local area is authorized during the period of this order. Mission-essential travel includes, but is not limited to, medical appointments, official duty at another military installation, and permissive TDY for house-hunting. If there are questions regarding what qualifies as mission essential travel, please consult your chain of command.

b. Government funded TDY travel for 374th Airlift Wing personnel will be approved by the first O-6 in the traveler’s chain of command. All TDY travel will require this approval unless the purpose for travel is one of the 12 exemptions listed on the Secretary of Defense’s 15 March 2021 “Update to Conditions-based Approach to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Personnel Movement and Travel Restrictions” (15 March 2021).

a. Members are encouraged to engage in physical fitness activities to maintain and improve both their physical and mental health. A risk, however, still remains for indoor physical fitness activities involving unvaccinated personnel. Accordingly, unvaccinated individuals are prohibited from exercising or otherwise engaging in physical fitness activities inside the Samurai Fitness Center & Annex. The only exception to this prohibition is for official physical fitness assessments (PT tests), to include diagnostic tests, and participation in mandated fitness improvement programs.

b. Group, outdoor fitness activities may be conducted on or off-base. Masks are not required while participating in such activities, however, they are recommended during non-active play when individuals are unable to socially distance or when sharing equipment. All equipment should be thoroughly cleaned after use in group fitness activities.

c. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools are permitted to engage in travel sports activities with other DoDEA participating schools if: (1) the competitive event or practice is held on Yokota Air Base or another DoD installation, (2) the competing DoDEA school has agreed to participate in the event and the host DoD installation has agreed for it to take place there, and (3) all participants comply with the approved DoDEA COVID mitigation plan for that sporting activity.

d. All unvaccinated participants in unit physical training events must wear a mask covering their nose and mouth when within a base fitness facility, within six feet of other participants, or while sharing sports equipment. Fully vaccinated personnel conducting group fitness activities on base should also refer to paragraph 7 for additional mask wear guidance. All equipment used during unit physical training events must be sanitized after use.

a. While off the installation in Japan, all SOFA-status personnel are required to wear masks in public, i.e., outside of a private dwelling. This includes, but is not limited to, while using any form of public transportation or military/military-contracted transportation. Japanese citizens commonly wear masks in public settings and our personnel should do so off-installation to prevent the spread of infection and to promote a responsible image to the host nation civilian population.

b. All personnel are required to wear masks when inside any medical or dental facility on the installation regardless of vaccination status. Masks are also required when entering any on installation school, child care center, or daycare facility.

c. All personnel are required to wear masks in high traffic, on installation common use areas where co-mingling with non-familiar individuals (individuals other than family members, co-workers, and friends) is likely. This includes, but is not limited to, the post office, Yokota Community Center (BX and Commissary), Shopette/Express, and Chapel. This mask mandate does not apply to fully-vaccinated individuals utilizing on base indoor fitness facilities.

d. All individuals must wear masks while interacting with host nation individuals on the installation, including civilian employees and Japan Self-Defense Force personnel. Interaction is defined as any deliberate engagement, including, but not limited to, working in an office environment with no divider. Merely passing by a host nation individual, even within six feet, does not require the wearing of a mask if fully vaccinated.

e. Unvaccinated Individuals: Unvaccinated individuals will continuously wear masks while on Yokota Air Base or Tama Hills Recreation Area. This mask wear requirement does not include while inside a personal residence or when alone in an office with floor-to-ceiling walls and a closed door. Unvaccinated individuals in outdoor shared spaces will wear a mask unless one of the following applies:
• For brief periods of time when eating or drinking on the installation in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and instructions from commanders and supervisors;
• When the mask is required to be lowered briefly for identification or security purposes; or
• When necessary to reasonably accommodate an unvaccinated individual with a disability.

f. Fully-Vaccinated Individuals: Fully-vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks on Yokota Air Base or Tama Hills Recreation Area except as otherwise required by this memorandum. Fully-vaccinated individuals electing to not wear a mask where permissible on Yokota Air Base or Tama Hills Recreation Area, must carry proof of their vaccination status. Individuals may be denied entry into base facilities if not wearing a mask and without proof of vaccination status. It is highly recommended fully-vaccinated individuals make a digital copy of their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card and carry a face mask with them at all times. Any individual declining to wear a mask in compliance with this policy and not under one of the aforementioned exceptions may be temporarily denied access to the installation, debarred, or subject to other appropriate action.

g. Children under two years of age are generally not required to wear a face mask on or off-base. However, in accordance with federal guidance for childcare facilities, all children aged two years and older, who are participating in 374 FSS-sponsored childcare (CDC, etc.), are required to wear masks at all times while indoors except when actively eating or drinking.

If you are experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or sudden loss of taste and smell), DO NOT GO TO URGENT CARE, WORK OR EXPOSE OTHERS.

Call the medical appointment line at DSN: 225-8864 Opt. 7 or Cell: 042-552-2510 Ext. 58864 Opt. 7 for evaluation and instructions.  For questions about ROM, please utilize your chain of command.

COVID TRAVEL GUIDE