Heavy snowfall in the Kanto Plain has forced U.S. military to close schools and curtail many base operations.

Most Yokosuka base facilities will close at 1:30 p.m., base officials said Monday. The Yokosuka base galley, Navy Lodge, bachelor officer quarters lodging and fleet recreation center dining area will remain open. U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka was closing at 1:30 p.m. Monday, except for the emergency room.

The 4 p.m. home-to-work shuttle buses running from Yokosuka to Negishi and Ikego housing areas will begin running at 1:30 p.m. Monday, while the 5 p.m. shuttle will run at its normally scheduled time.

The Narita Airport shuttle from Yokosuka will run as scheduled, unless the airport closes.

Naval Air Facility Atsugi has closed down all non-mission essential functions. The base is leaving its West Gate open until 1 p.m. to facilitate traffic.Schools at Yokosuka, Ikego and Negishi closed at noon, and will remain closed Tuesday. Other base facilities will open at noon Tuesday.

Zama American High School and the middle school were scheduled to close at 12:15 p.m., and Shirley Lanham Elementary School at Camp Zama is scheduled to close at 12:30 p.m.

At Camp Zama, most business operations were scheduled to close at noon, according to the base Facebook page.

Schools closed at 12:15 p.m., and the child care centers are scheduled to close at 1 p.m. Exchange facilities are scheduled to close at 2 p.m., and the commissary closed at noon. The dining facility will remain open for normal hours, and the bowling center is scheduled for a 7 p.m. closure.

At Yokota Air Base, people living more than 10 kilometers off-base were sent home at noon. Those living within 10 kilometers of the base could be released at 1 p.m. Base officials recommended sending all on-base residents home at 2 p.m.

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