Some leisure spots near Tokyo have seen crowds of visitors recently despite government instructions to stay home amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, prompting local residents and municipalities to voice concerns about further potential spread of the virus.
Although it was a weekday, a beach near Enoshima island in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, drew about 100 surfers on Wednesday morning, with many of the cars in parking lots showing license plates from Tokyo and other prefectures.
A 64-year-old local resident said that the previous weekend the popular beach was as packed with families and couples as it normally is in the summer, while young people gathered in local restaurants.