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Important】Future operations due to the new coronavirus situation
*The article was originally published on April 9, 2020, but was re-published on April 18, 2020, with necessary wording, etc. added to the rewritten article.
We would like to thank you for your continued support.
On April 7, 2011, a state of emergency was declared by the national government for some prefectures in response to a series of situations involving a new type of coronavirus that has become a global threat. Okinawa Prefecture, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island, Kurima Island, Irabu Island, Shimoji Island, Ikema Island, and Ogami Island), Ishigaki City (Ishigaki Island), and Taketomi Town (Taketomi Island, Iriomote Island, Yubu Island, Kohama Island, Kuroshima, Aragusuku Island, Hatoma Island, and Hateruma Island) have also formally requested that visitors refrain from coming to Okinawa and visiting their islands for the time being.
While waterfront measures are being taken in various areas, it is our opinion that the best course of action for the protection of yourself, your family and friends, the tourist destination Okinawa, and its citizens and islanders, is for those of you who live outside Okinawa Prefecture to follow government requests and refrain from leaving the prefecture and visiting the island unnecessarily. It is our opinion that this is the best course of action to protect yourself, your family and friends, as well as the tourist destination Okinawa and its citizens and islanders.
We have considered refraining from future store operations in light of the series of events. However, we cannot underestimate the fact that the income generated from our economic activities is the basis for our staff's minimum healthy and cultural standard of living. Although this is a difficult situation, we have decided to continue business as usual at all of our locations for the time being. We will not deny our customers the opportunity to participate in our tours if they wish to do so on their own initiative and at their own risk. We hope you will understand that this decision is made in the interest of the survival of the company and to protect the income and livelihood of our staff.
However, please note that we may not allow those who are strongly suspected to be infected with coronavirus, those who have any symptoms regardless of COVID-19, or those who are even slightly unwell to participate in the tour.
We will leave the content of employment to the judgment of each individual staff member. If a staff member requests to refrain from tour guide work in light of the current situation, we will not force him or her to engage in such work. We ask for your understanding of the staff's decision. We also ask for your understanding that we may have no choice but to refrain from business regardless of our clients' requests if there is an official request from the government.
If we offer tours, we ask that you meet us there in a rental car as much as possible, not in a shared vehicle. When we provide transportation, we will try to create as little seclusion as possible by opening the windows in the car. We appreciate your cooperation. We also ask our staff to wash their hands thoroughly, to use good ventilation, and to refrain from unnecessary proximity to other staff members.
There are some limitations, such as lack of supplies,Our Advisor PhysiciansUnder the supervision of the "Mere Old Man", we will take all possible measures to prevent the spread of infection.
Again, it is our position that the best course of action for those living outside Okinawa Prefecture is to follow the government's request and refrain from visiting the prefecture, the island, or even going out unnecessarily.
We sincerely hope that the infected people will recover as soon as possible, that the situation will be under control, and that the time will come again when all people can enjoy sightseeing in Okinawa and the islands with peace of mind.
April 9, 2020
[Addendum].
On April 13, two people infected with coronavirus were confirmed in Ishigaki City. On April 16, another case was reported, bringing the total number of cases reported in Ishigaki City to three as of April 17.
First of all, we wish the infected people a speedy recovery.
In Taketomi Town (Taketomi Island, Iriomote Island, Yubu Island, Kohama Island, Kuroshima, Aragusuku Island, Hatoma Island, and Hateruma Island), no cases of infection have been reported at this time. However, in light of the fact that the government has expanded the scope of its emergency declaration to the entire country, and that Ishigaki City (Ishigaki Island), the transit point for visitors to each of Taketomi Town's outlying islands, has announced its own emergency declaration, Taketomi TownA unique state of emergency was declared.The content calls for town residents to refrain from leaving their homes unnecessarily and to stay home.
In light of the situation, we have decided to declare Iriomotejima ADVENTURE PiPi as well, in accordance with the emergency declaration by Taketomi Town,We have decided to refrain from tour operations from April 18 to May 6.The tour will be suspended and new reservations will not be made for tours held during this period. As a result of this,We regret to inform you that we will not be able to accept any reservations that have already been made.We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this situation, despite the fact that you have taken the time to make a reservation. We will contact you as soon as possible to inform you that we have no choice but to cancel the tour (no cancellation fees will be incurred as a result of this cancellation). We are also considering extending the self-restraint after May 6, depending on the situation. We would appreciate your understanding that this is to prevent the spread of infection.
Under these circumstances,For those of you who live outside Okinawa Prefecture, the best thing you can do to protect yourself, your family and friends, the tourist destination Okinawa, and the citizens and islanders who live there is to refrain from going out of the prefecture and visiting the island unnecessarily, in accordance with the request of the government.This does not change our view in any way.
However, the current situation in the Yaeyama Islands, including Iriomote Island, is that the inflow of people from outside the prefecture and the islands and the movement of people within the islands have not been completely stopped because the government has issued a "request" that does not involve any enforcement power. The reality is that there are certainly a small number of people who come to Ishigaki Island by air from outside the prefecture, visit the remote islands by ferry, and use various services including rental cars, lodging facilities, and restaurants that are still in business.
However, as there are no instructions or orders from the government with enforcement power at this moment, the right and responsibility to make a decision belongs to each individual or corporation. Not only in Iriomote Island, but all over Japan, people are pressed to make a last-minute decision in the midst of various scales and backgrounds, such as life, income, faith, beliefs, and responsibilities, not to mention health and happiness of themselves and their loved ones, and in the midst of their own conflicts and constraints. There is no room for others to intervene with their own self-righteous values and without responsibility in the decisions that have been made by each individual. We respect the decisions and statements of individuals and corporations as long as they are not illegal or illegal, and as long as they are accompanied by responsibility.
We sincerely hope that the increasing number of infected people will recover as soon as possible, that the situation will be brought under control, and that urban and economic functions will return to normal.
April 17, 2020
NASH Corporation
Iriomote Island ADVENTURE PiPi
Ishigaki Island ADVENTURE PiPi
Miyako Island ADVENTURE PiPi
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