The entry ban on non-resident foreigners will be extended until the end of February, according to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
"Because the infection situations related Omicron are clearly different at home (and) abroad," Kishida told reporters, "the present border restrictions framework will be maintained until the end of February." According to media sources, the entry ban on non-resident foreigners has been in effect since November 30, 2021, following Japan's first incidence of the extremely infectious Omicron strain.
The present border control measures, which prohibit non-resident foreigners from entering Japan and compel returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents to quarantine in government-designated facilities, were initially meant to last for roughly a month.
The administration also announced that the number of persons allowed to enter Japan will be limited to roughly 3,500 each day. Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference that re-entry prohibitions were in effect for foreign citizens who had visited 11 countries within 14 days, including South Africa.
According to Matsuno, the restrictions might be lifted due to "humanitarian concerns."
79% of Afghan journalists quit their profession to survive
Explainer: CPC through cultural lens: Pursuit of common good of humanity
Tropical cyclone Cody wreaks havoc on Fiji's infrastructure.