Restaurants that help out low-income households with free meals and provide a place for children to spend time — dubbed "children's cafeterias" — have become crucial in Okinawa Prefecture as more people suffer due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But those who operate the diners are stuck between a rock and a hard place, wanting to help out but also fearful of infection risks.
About 10% of them have stopped their activities, while about 20% have switched to offering bento boxes to go.