Japanese hotel offers ‘temporary evacuation space’ for spouses stuck at home during coronavirus

In Japan, shelter-in-place measures are reportedly taking a toll on some couple’s relationships, leading one hotel to offer evacuation spaces for women.

The initiative led by Japanese hotel chain Kasoku is intended to prevent cooped up partners from having a “corona-divorce,” a new term describing some couples who are fed up with each other from spending so much time together during the pandemic, according to CBS.

For $40 a night, the hotel provides a safe haven for spouses in need of time apart, with Kasoku reporting 28 customers have taken advantage of the deal so far.

The service began after reports of divorce rates increasing in the country, as the lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus takes a toll on some couples.

Authorities arrested a husband, Kazuo Makino, 59, after he allegedly killed his wife for complaining that he was not earning enough profit due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Japanese government’s Minister of Women’s Empowerment said Friday that a new 24-hour emergency hotline would be available by the end of the month for victims of domestic abuse, citing increased reports due to couples stuck under lockdown measures.

The government will also collaborate with private groups providing emergency accommodations to anyone needing to flee domestic abuse situations.

The abuse prevention measures come the same week as the government’s decision to declare all of Japan under a state of emergency, adding to the growing number of families stuck at home.

As of Friday, Japan reported 9,231 cases of COVID-19, with 190 recorded deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.