By Hori Nanako

The Yamaguchi Prefectural Government announced on Dec. 24 that it has confirmed the first case of Omicron in the prefecture. A man in his 30s, who works at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Stastion Iwakuni (Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture), tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and has been complaining about having a sore throat. His symptoms are minor. Ten people who were identified as close contacts tested negative in PCR and other tests. The prefecture has dismissed the possibility of community transmission.