TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will close from Saturday to March 15 to help curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the operator of the theme parks said.
Oriental Land Co., operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort, said Friday the policy is in line with the government's request this week to cancel or postpone big events for two weeks.
It will be the first time for the popular amusement parks near Tokyo to close for an extended period since March and April of 2011, shortly after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan on March 11 that year.
The operator of the parks in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, said it plans to reopen them on March 16 but will decide the exact schedule later after consulting with government agencies.
Shopping and entertainment complex Ikspiari, adjacent to the parks, will also be closed during this period, but the hotels and monorail run by the operator's group companies will be in service, according to Oriental Land.
People who purchased tickets for the affected days will receive refunds or extension of their expiry date. Measures for annual passport holders are still being discussed, the company said.
A number of public events have been canceled in Japan since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the request Wednesday.
In addition, the government on Friday formally requested education boards across the country to close elementary, junior high and high schools for about a month from next week.
