Long-distance bus and ferry operators as well as airlines in Japan face the challenge of keeping passengers safe amid the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Sakura Kotsu Co., an expressway bus operator based in Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, has begun to thoroughly disinfect buses after carrying passengers in long-distance routes.

The company has been asking passengers to sanitize their hands before boarding its buses and providing face masks to them if they want.

Despite these measures, Sakura Kotsu has been facing a wave of cancellations. "We're doing the maximum possible. We wonder how long this will last," a company official said.

Measures to prevent infection are also being taken by ferry operators, including Shin Nihonkai Ferry, based in the city of Osaka, western Japan.

On a 21-hour Shin Nihonkai ferry service between Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, and Otaru in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, passengers are called on to wash their hands frequently and practice proper cough etiquette. They are also asked to notify cabin crew if they feel sick.

Japan Airlines and ANA Holdings Inc.'s All Nippon Airways are thoroughly disinfecting armrests, bathroom doorknobs and others on flights to and from China.

The Japanese airlines have allowed cabin crew and ground staff to wear face masks. "We're responding flexibly depending on the situation," a Japan Airlines official said.

These long-distance transport service operators "should carry out thorough disinfection and ensure a hygienic environment," said Yasuhiro Kanatani, professor of public health at Tokai University in Tokyo. "Bathrooms should be a particular focus," he said.

For passengers, it is "essential to wear face masks and wash hands every time when they get on and off," Kanatani said. "Getting hydrated is also important to prevent dryness, a condition vulnerable to infection," he said.

JIJI Press